Rapture Positions: Post-Tribulationism

Introduction

Post-Tribulationism is the term used to describe the belief that the church will not be taken out of the last seven years, but instead will be protected through it, and caught up to Christ when He returns at the end of that period. The millennium will begin at that time, and so Post- Tribulationism is both futurist, and Pre-Millennial. Generally Post-Tribulationists see Revelation as a recapitulating story that culminates in the seventh of each of the major visions of seven (the seals, trumpets, and bowls). In this view, Christ will not have two separate returns or "comings", but will return at the end of the time of judgment to be met by His followers in the air to be with him always. 

Historical Precedence

Believers belong to a community of faith that spans centuries, and while historical interpretation does not in itself prove a particular view correct, it must be noted that the Pre- Tribulation idea was somehow absent from Christian thought until very recently, at a time, in fact, when many false ideas began to gain popularity. 

Watching for Christ's Return

In 1 Thess. 4-5 Paul warns believers to watch for the Day of The Lord. He says that they will see the "abomination" in the temple, which Daniel places at the center of the last 7 years. If Christians are to watch for Christ's return after that, then there cannot be a Pre-Trib rapture. 

The Olivet Discourse

Jesus clearly teaches His disciples (who would become the foundation for His Church) that signs would precede His coming in Matthew ch. 24. These signs show that things will happen before He returns and we are to look for His return during these signs, not before they even take place. 

Believers in the Tribulation

No one can dispute the fact that believing Christians are going to be in the Tribulation. Rev 7:9-10 shows believers coming out of the Tribulation. Obviously they could not come out of something they had never been in. This fact alone destroys any attempt to remove the Church from the Tribulation, for believers are the Church! 

God's Wrath

God's Wrath is specifically seen to be against unbelievers during the Tribulation. His bowls of wrath in particular are seen to be only against "those who dwell on the earth", which most agree does not include believers. So we see God sparing believers from His wrath, not on the basis of removal, but on the basis of protection (Rev ch. 16 see Rev 7:1-3).  God will protect the believing Jews from the time of "Jacob's Trouble" in the end times just as He will protect believers from the "hour of trial". When God's judgment is pictured in the New Testament it is compared to similar times in the Old Testament where His protection involved believers within the trial, not outside of it. (Jer 30:7; Rev 7:1-10; Gen 7:23, 19:15-23; Josh 6:17,22-25).

No Rapture in Revelation

Why would John write so extensively about Jesus' coming to earth and the dead being raised (both events that are said to be during the Rapture), and yet fail to write a single word about Christ's coming 7 years earlier to rapture the faithful? Pre-Tribulationists say that Revelation describes what was, what is, and what will be, so the rapture should have received some attention. 

Only One Second Coming

Everyone agrees that the Rapture will take place at Christ's coming. The Bible explicitly states that Christ will come after the tribulation, not before it. So for a Pre-Trib Rapture to occur, Christ would have to come back two more times.  While there are passages that specifically describe Christ's coming as Post- tribulational (I.E. 1 Thess. 4:13-18 see Dan 12:1-2 or Matthew 24: 21-31), there is not a single verse that describes it as occurring before the tribulation.