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The Rapture & Second
Coming:
AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION
by Thomas Ice
In previous issues we have given a
biblical basis or foundation for pretribulationism. In this issues I
will begin by laying out specific biblical evidence for the pre-trib
rapture. The first place to start is with the biblical notion that
the rapture of the church is distinct from Christ's second coming to
the earth.
John Feinberg notes that distinguishing
between the rapture and second coming is important in establishing
pretribulationism against the non-pre-trib claim that the Bible does
not teach such a view.
The pretribulationist must show that
there is enough dissimilarity between clear rapture and clear second
advent passages as to warrant the claim that the two kinds of
passages could be speaking about two events which could occur at
different times. The pretribulationist does not have to prove at
this point . . . that the two events must occur at different times,
but only that the exegetical data from rapture and second advent
passages do not make it impossible for the events to occur at
different times. If he can do that, the pretribulationist has shown
that his view is not impossible. And, he has answered the
posttribulationist's strongest line of evidence.1
A key factor in understanding the New
Testament's teaching of the pretribulational rapture revolves around
the fact that two future comings of Christ are presented. The first
coming is the catching up into the clouds of the church before the
seven-year tribulation and the second coming occurs at the end of
the tribulation when Christ returns to the earth to begin His 1,000
year kingdom. Anyone desirous of insight into the biblical teaching
of the rapture and second advent must study and decide whether
Scripture speaks of one or two future events.
FRAMING THE ISSUE
Posttribulationists usually contend that
if the rapture and the second coming are two distinct events,
separated by about seven years, then there ought to be at least one
passage in Scripture which clearly teaches this. However, the Bible
does not always teach God's truth in accordance with our
preconceived notions or in such a way that answers directly all of
our questions. For example, a Unitarian could design a similar kind
of question regarding the Trinity. "Where is at least one passage in
Scripture which clearly says that the Persons of the Godhead are
distinct?" We who believe the Trinity reply that the Bible teaches
the Trinity but in a different way.
Many important biblical doctrines are not
given to us directly from a single verse, we often need to harmonize
passages into systematic conclusions. Some truths are directly
stated in the Bible, such as the deity of Christ (John 1:1, Titus
2:13). But doctrines like the Trinity and the incarnate nature of
Christ are the product of biblical harmonization. Taking into
account all biblical texts, orthodox theologians, over time,
recognized that God is a Trinity and that Christ is the God-Man.
Similarly, a systematic consideration of all biblical passages
reveals that Scripture teaches two future comings.
Posttribulationists often contend that
the pre-trib position is built merely built upon an assumption that
certain verses 'make sense' if and only if the pre-trib model of the
rapture is assumed to be correct. However, they often fail to make
it clear to their readers that they are just as dependent upon
assumptions as they say pre-tribers are. Their error stems from
failure to observe actual biblical distinctions.
For example, Christ's ministry has two
phases which revolve around His two comings. Phase one took place at
Christ's first coming when He came in humiliation to suffer. Phase
two will begin at Christ's second coming when He will reign on earth
in power and glory. Failure to distinguish these two phases was a
key factor in Israel's rejection of Jesus as Messiah at His first
coming. In the same way, failure to see clear distinctions between
the rapture and second advent lead many to a misinterpretation of
God's future plan.
THE NATURE OF THE RAPTURE
The rapture is most clearly presented in
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. In verse 17 the English phrase "caught up"
translates the Greek word "harpázô," which means "to seize upon with
force" or "to snatch up." Latin translators of the Bible used the
word "rapere," the root of the English term "rapture." At the
rapture living believers will be "caught up" in the air, translated
into the clouds, in a moment of time.
The rapture is characterized in the Bible
as a "translation coming" (1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thes. 4:15-17) in
which Christ comes for His church. The second advent is Christ
returning with His saints, descending from heaven to establish His
earthly kingdom (Zech. 14:4-5; Mat. 24:27-31). Ed Hindson observes:
The rapture (or "translation") of the
church is often paralleled to the "raptures" of Enoch (Genesis 5:24)
and Elijah (2 Kings 2: 12). In each case, the individual disappeared
or was caught up into-heaven. At His ascension, our Lord Himself was
"taken up" into heaven (Acts 1:9). The biblical description of the
rapture involves both the resurrection of deceased believers and the
translation of living believers into the air to meet the Lord (1
Thess. 4:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:51 52).2
Differences between the two events are
harmonized naturally by the pre-trib position, while other views are
not able to account comfortably for such distinctions. (Notice the
graphic on page four that lists passages that speak of the rapture
and those referring to the second coming.)
RAPTURE AND SECOND COMING CONTRASTS
Rapture/Translation 2nd Coming/ Estab.
Kingdom
1 Translation of all believers 1 No
translation at all
2 Translated saints go to 2 Translated
saints return to
heaven earth
3 Earth not judged 3 Earth judged &
righteous-
ness established
4 Imminent, any-moment, 4 Follows
definite predicted
signless signs including tribulation 5
Not in the Old Testament 5 Predicted often in Old
Testament
6 Believers only 6 Affects all men
7 Before the day of wrath 7 Concluding
the day of
wrath
8 No reference to Satan 8 Satan bound
9 Christ comes for His own 9 Christ comes
with His own
10 He comes in the air 10 He comes to the
earth
11 He claims His bride 11 He comes with
His bride
12 Only His own see Him 12 Every eye
shall see Him
13 Tribulation begins 13 Millennial
Kingdom begins
John Walvoord concludes that these
"contrasts should make it evident that the translation of the church
is an event quite different in character and time from the return of
the Lord to establish His kingdom, and confirms the conclusion that
the translation takes place before the tribulation."3
ADDITIONAL DIFFERANCES
Paul speaks of the rapture as a "mystery"
(1 Cor. 15:51-54), that is a truth not revealed until its disclosure
by the apostles (Col. 1:26), making it a separate event, while the
second coming was predicted in the Old Testament (Dan. 12:1-3; Zech.
12:10; 14:4).
The movement for the believer at the
rapture is from earth to heaven, while it is from heaven to earth at
the second advent. At the rapture, the Lord comes for his saints (1
Thess. 4:16), while at the second coming the Lord comes with His
saints (1 Thess. 3:13). At the rapture, the Lord comes only for
believers, but His return to the earth will impact all people. The
rapture is a translation/resurrection event where the Lord takes
believers "to the Father's house" in heaven (John 14:3), while at
the second coming believers return from heaven to the earth (Matt.
24:30). Hindson says, "The different aspects of our Lord's return
are clearly delineated in the scriptures themselves. The only real
issue in the eschatological debate is the time interval between
them."4
POST-TRIB PROBLEMS
One of the strengths of the pre-trib
position is that it is better able to harmonize the many events of
end-time prophecy because of its distinction between the rapture and
the second coming. Normally, posttribulationists do not even attempt
to answers such objections and the few that try struggle with the
biblical text. Yet, pretribulationists do not encounter difficulties
in providing answers. What are some post-trib problems?
First, posttribulationism requires that
the church will be present during the 70th week of Daniel (Dan.
9:24-27) even though it was absent from the first 69. This is in
spite of the fact that Daniel 9:24 says that all 70 weeks are for
Israel. Pretribulationism is not in conflict with this passage, as
is posttribulationism, since the church departs before the beginning
of the seven-year period.
Second, posttribulationism must deny the
New Testament teaching of imminency-that Christ could come at
any-moment. Pretribulationism does not have a problem with these New
Testament passages, since they believe that no signs must precede
the rapture.
Third, premillennial posttribulationism
has no answer to their problem of who will populate the millennium
if the rapture and second coming occur at the same time. Since all
believers will be translated at the rapture and all unbelievers
judged, because no unrighteous shall be allowed to enter Christ's
kingdom, then no one would be left in mortal bodies to start the
population base for the millennium. The pre-trib viewpoint does not
have a problem at this point.
Fourth, posttribulationism is not able to
explain the sheep and goats judgment after the second coming in
Matthew 25:31-46. As in the previous problem, how would there be any
believers in mortal bodies, if they were raptured at the second
coming, who would be available to enter into Christ's kingdom?
Pretribulationism does not have such a problem.
Fifth, since Revelation 19:7-8 indicates
that the church, Christ's Bride, is made ready to accompany Christ
to earth (Rev. 19:14) before the second coming, how could this
reasonably happen if part of the church is still on earth awaiting
Christ's Advent? If the rapture of the church takes place at the
second coming, then how does the Bride (i.e., the church) also come
with Christ at His return? There would not be sufficient time for
this to happen within a posttribulational sequence, but the pre-trib
position has no such problem.
CONCLUSION
The distinctions between Christ's coming
in the air to rapture His church are too great to be reduced into a
single coming at the end of the tribulation. These biblical
distinctions provide a strong basis for the pre-trib rapture
teaching. W
ENDNOTES
1John S. Feinberg, "Arguing for the
Rapture: Who Must Prove What and How" in Thomas Ice and Timothy
Demy, editors When The Trumpet Sounds (Eugene, Org.: Harvest House
Publishers, forthcoming July 1995).
2Edward E. Hindson, "The Rapture and the
Return: Two Aspects of Christ's Coming" in Thomas Ice and Timothy
Demy, editors When The Trumpet Sounds (Eugene, Org.: Harvest House
Publishers, forthcoming July 1995).
3The quotation and the first six
contrasts in the graphic above are taken from John F. Walvoord, The
Return of the Lord (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1955), 87-88.
4Hindson, Ibid
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