Pre-Trib belief antagonists are on the rise. Rapture critics, even among those who claim to believe in the eventuality of a Rapture, just not the pre-Tribulation view of that event, purport to present evidence on every side that our times trumpet the obvious: The world is about to enter the Tribulation. Christ’s call to believers, they say, just isn’t going to happen before Christians suffer at least part of the terrors of that beastly era.
They offer that anyone with knowledge of issues and events going on should recognize that the New World Order bunch is transforming America and the world into the kingdom of Antichrist. All is about to come together for the Gog-led invasion into the Middle East. As a matter of fact, many hold that World War III has already begun.
Advanced computer and other control technologies and instrumentalities are in place for locking everyone on the planet into fiscal bondage and physical slavery to the final empire as prophesied by Daniel.
Those of us who believe there is coming a supernatural Rapture-escape from these judgments on sinful mankind are just living in fantasy land is the collective message I infer from emails and articles that increasingly assault my senses. That I, and all of you, should begin prepping with food, water, gold, silver, and finding a good bunker in which to hunker down during these upcoming days seem to me to be the things these Rapture naysayers are presenting. Seldom do I hear coming from our opponents on the question of the Rapture the admonition to be trying to witness with all our might the gospel of Jesus Christ. I guess there will be plenty of time for that once the Antichrist regime is firmly in place.
While the Pre-Trib proponent holds at the heart of his effort winning as many souls to Christ as possible so those saved won’t go through that time of horrors, many of the anti-Rapture antagonists want to do things to make sure they are more comfortable while trying to survive that hellish time.
Coincidentally–or perhaps not–these just happen to, in some cases of TV and other ministries who openly disdain the thought of Rapture, offer for sale all of these things for survival. The packaged food items invariably are proclaimed to have shelf lives of three decades or longer. So, we can, if we survive, have these supplies to partake of well into the Millennium, I suppose. This, based upon the general theme that they believe the seven-year Tribulation, not the Rapture, is imminent. There have been over the past few years a number of debates taking place on whether there will be the Pre-Trib Rapture or not. The best I’ve heard was the one at the Pre-Trib study group meetings when Dr. Mark Hitchcock completely destroyed the anti-Rapture arguments of the Bible Answer Man.
There are some such debates scheduled for prophecy conferences in the near future. These will perhaps offer new food for thought, but I doubt whether they will change minds on either side of the controversy.
Personally, I believe the time for debate on this matter is past. It is time now to just offer the assurance of that soon to come exhilarating moment when Christ will say “Come up here!” (Revelation 4:1).
There are so many scriptural assurances of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture that we could fill many articles with them. As a matter of fact, we have done just that on the Rapture Ready website.
I wish to mention only one Rapture factor here, because I believe it is the most reassuring of all truth in God’s telling His children that they are not appointed to His wrath. Here we interject the question proposed in our title: Where’s the Comfort? By that we ask: What comfort is there in the argument that Christians will go through the Tribulation?
Paul the apostle first assures us of this fact: “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9). But, it is the next thought from the mind of God that should cause warm reassurance in the spiritual heart of every believer: “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
Get it? We are to “comfort” ourselves, not wring our hands looking for these things to destroy us or to look for Antichrist. We are to be looking for our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13).
There is no comfort –nor is there directive in God’s Word–to be had in anticipating going through the time of God’s wrath and almost certain martyrdom (probably by beheading). There is no comfort in looking for the worst dictator in the planet’s history to hunt us down and lop off our heads.
Here is what God’s Word promises instead of the dreaded scenario proposed by the Rapture antagonists:
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)
Terry James Prophecy Line 
Reblogged this on 1 Way 2 Yahweh.
Terry – I have always believed in a pre-trib rapture, but I disagree with those who say it is right at the door. The Bible says when all the world has heard the Gospel, then shall the end come. How could that be so soon as I have heard there are over a billion souls that have not heard the Gospel. Please give me your thoughts on this. Thank youl
Sadly and tragically, most of the people born throughout the ages have gone down the broad way that leads to destruction, while few there have been that enter into the narrow gate, as Jesus Himself has told us. This continues to be the case today and will be until there are new heavens and a new earth. There will be a number too vast to be counted who will follow Satan when he is released at the end of the Millennium –and, that’s after the earth has been ruled by Jesus for that thousand years!
So far as the nearness of the Rapture, I am one who believes it is absolutely at the door of this generation. I base that primarily on all of the signals for the Tribulation being in view in every direction we look.
Jesus said as recorded in Luke 24: 28 that when we see all of these things “begin” to come to pass, we are to “look up” for our redemption is drawing near.
What –rather who—is our redemption? Titus 2: 13 has the answer. I’let you look it up.
Wouldn’t it be ironic if it is the suffering Christians abroad who get raptured and us spoiled materialistic and secular compromised evangelicals who get left behind?
“The first shall be last, and the last shall be first” interesting
Shirley – thats a Tribulation event as seen in Revelation 14:6-7, when the angels proclaim the gospel to the world
Thanks Scott. That helps! I thought if the gospel had to be preached to the ones that haven’t heard (which they say is over a billion souls) that could take another 50 years.
I believe in the pre trib rapture with all my heart! I believe the promises of Jesus and his word with all my heart! That being said : A hope deferred makes the heart sick.
I have been an ardent watcher for 14 yrs scanning the headlines reading the word following the earthquake activity, reading books and articles. Time after time dissapointed to find we are still here hoping and waiting. I now find myself dismissing the newest headlines even though things have become far worse than even a yr ago. I can understand other people anf their skeptical outlook if I being a ardent watcher is losing hope.
Come quickly Lord!
We need you so desparately
I believe in the pre-trib Rapture. I look at the convergence of events that point us to Rapture. I have always been interested in Bible prophecy. As a young Christian I was warned not to read Revelation because it would merely confuse me. Of course I sat right down and read it. Then in 1967 I was mesmerized by the radio account of the 6-Day War!! Not sure what my young non Christian husband thought about it. I was hooked on prophecy from that time on. And now I can almost hear the trumpets sounding!!
I tried to teach prophecy several times. The people at my SBC Church attacked me over it saying they did not believe in scaring people into becoming Christians. I was teaching a group of adults including church elders and deacons. We started in Genesis to study prophecies and God’s fulfillment of His promises. What is scary about that? I do not understand why people are afraid to study prophecy but one of our “lay preachers” told me Bible prophecy scares him to death.
If you read 1 Cor 15:23 -24 you can also see the rapture Wil be pre-trib
What if the rapture was delayed? Would we stock pile food & gold and watch our neighbors do without? Would we only take care of ourselves and our families? I would rather starve trusting in the Lord then be full and watch others suffer. As Lot was pulled out before the judgment, I believe the true church will be taken up to be with the Lord. Soon! That is the urgency.
AMEN JEAN AMEN!!!
As I look around and see what is happening in our own nation – the way Christians are being equated to terrorists – I believe we will experience a certain amount of persecution before the Rapture takes place. Our brothers and sisters in the Middle East, China and other places are already suffering persecution, why should we think it won’t come to us? I do believe in the pre-Trib Rapture, but I have no illusions of escaping all persecution. I believe in preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best. I also believe God will grant His children special grace in the meantime.
That persecution will come from the hands of man not God. The Tribulation will be God’s wrath upon the world. It very well could and probably will. We have seen and heard of miraculous protection of Christians. We can and should pray for protection and for courage and strength.
The one point of debate is some believe the first hal f of the tribulation is not the wrath of God but the wrath of Satan and the Church will be here to experience that but will be raptured before the last half which is the wrath of God to which the Church is not appointed. I admit I don’t know who to believe any more. Opponents of the pre-trib say there is not one verse that supports this view exegetically but has to be “extrapolated” out. Jacob Prasch is one of these saying pre-trib teachers are not reading scripture hebracically using “midrash” as Jesus and first century believers did.
Ernesto: my husband and I are pre-trib. We and some of our other Christian friends intend on “sharing for others in need” and spread the gospel. We don’t have much but even a cup of cold water in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is our goal if the Lord wills us here. If we get Raptured, I’m sure someone/someone’s are going to capitalize on our homes and belongings. May they find food for their souls here and food to survive!
That is my goal as well.
BLESSINGS ALL MY BROTHERS & SISTER,S , & NO COUNTING THE COST! AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND!
Your explaining God’s word on the rapture causes me great joy and peace. I am on my twilight years of life and was grounded in the Word early on in my Christian life for which I am so thankful to God for. Those men knew the Word and cemented it into my very being. You dear sir are one of those along with some others that keep me grounded these days. Keep on keeping on Terry James because we need servants such you along with those others as time is drawing to a close.