The most common evangelical view of the rapture of the church is pretribulationism. It simply states that the return of Christ would be in two stages, one for the church at the rapture and the other with His saints to control the world at the close of the seven year tribulation. This means that the church (believers in Christ) or the elect will be absent during the tribulation when things will get nasty. The tribulation is viewed as being the transition from God's dealing primarily with the church to His reestablishing a relationship with His chosen people, Israel.
The scriptural support for pretribulationism is found in many scriptures. First, in Matthews 25:13 where Jesus speaks of the Parable of the 10 Virgins and concludes by telling believers to be alert because they do not know either the day or the hour. Second, just before in Matthew 24:36-39, Jesus states for the first time that just as in the time of Noah, there will be no warning signs. Then in Matthew 24:43, Jesus stated that the coming of the Lord will be like a thief in the night or like the master who returns at an unexpected time (Matthew 24:45-51). The point is that there will be a sudden separation, like two men working in a field or two women will be grinding at the mill and in both cases one will be taken and the other will be left. This is what the rapture will look like. It could occur at any moment. But the most prolific scripture explaining the rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. When the words "caught up," are used in verse 17, which means "rapturo," a Latin translation of the Greek word meaning to be taken away or snatched up, we see that this event will happen unexpectedly and in the twinkling of an eye. Which tells us that Paul thought the rapture could happen at any moment.
Ultimately, God will deliver the church from the tribulation. That is the point of the rapture, to deliver the church from the suffering that will come during the tribulation, read Revelation 6-18 to see first hand what will occur during the last three and half years of the tribulation. This is why Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 that "God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" and prior to this in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 that Jesus will rescue us from the coming wrath.
Leave no doubt, the rapture will be a glorious time for the follower of Christ and it could literally occur at any moment.
The scriptural support for pretribulationism is found in many scriptures. First, in Matthews 25:13 where Jesus speaks of the Parable of the 10 Virgins and concludes by telling believers to be alert because they do not know either the day or the hour. Second, just before in Matthew 24:36-39, Jesus states for the first time that just as in the time of Noah, there will be no warning signs. Then in Matthew 24:43, Jesus stated that the coming of the Lord will be like a thief in the night or like the master who returns at an unexpected time (Matthew 24:45-51). The point is that there will be a sudden separation, like two men working in a field or two women will be grinding at the mill and in both cases one will be taken and the other will be left. This is what the rapture will look like. It could occur at any moment. But the most prolific scripture explaining the rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. When the words "caught up," are used in verse 17, which means "rapturo," a Latin translation of the Greek word meaning to be taken away or snatched up, we see that this event will happen unexpectedly and in the twinkling of an eye. Which tells us that Paul thought the rapture could happen at any moment.
Ultimately, God will deliver the church from the tribulation. That is the point of the rapture, to deliver the church from the suffering that will come during the tribulation, read Revelation 6-18 to see first hand what will occur during the last three and half years of the tribulation. This is why Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 that "God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" and prior to this in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 that Jesus will rescue us from the coming wrath.
Leave no doubt, the rapture will be a glorious time for the follower of Christ and it could literally occur at any moment.
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