As we continue on the topic of the different Rapture viewpoints, all but one of them involve Bible prophecy’s timing. The one which does not is the Pre-Tribulation Rapture viewpoint. It is imminent – it can happen at any time.
Different views:
- Pre-Tribulation (imminent – no prophecy needs to be fulfilled – it can happen at any time)
- Mid-Tribulation (half-way through the Tribulation at the 1,260 day mark)
- Pre-Wrath (at the sixth seal judgment)
- Post-Tribulation (after the Tribulation at the 2,520 day mark)
Today, we’ll cover the one called the Pre-Wrath Tribulation Rapture. It is very similar to the Mid-Tribulation viewpoint but this viewpoint claims they will be raptured right before God’s wrath is poured out in the Trumpet and Vial judgments. They don’t believe that the seals are God’s wrath but are viewed as the wrath of the Antichrist. They believe this because there is no indication of God’s wrath until after the sixth seal is broken. They believe that the first seal judgments are the same as what Jesus said in Matthew 24:4-7 and are the beginning of birth pains.
Let’s read what the Seal Judgments involve:
Rev 6:1-17 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. (2) And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. (3) And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. (4) And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. (5) And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. (6) And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. (7) And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. (8) And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. (9) And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: (10) And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? (11) And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (12) And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; (13) And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. (14) And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. (15) And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; (16) And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: (17) For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
After reading about the seals, how can one say that these judgments are those of the Antichrist? The very first first tells us that it is the Lamb that opens the seals! Just because verse 16 talks about the wrath of the Lamb does not mean that the previous judgments weren’t from God. I believe this is when people come to realize that all these events are caused by God! The Antichrist makes peace for Israel in verse 6:2 and he doesn’t cause war with Israel until later. One fourth of the world’s population dies due to famine, wars and beasts of the earth (read through 6:8). As well, Christians during the Tribulation are martyred during the fifth seal.
The Antichrist’s wrath cannot be responsible for the great earthquake that occurs in verses 12-14. These judgments are from the very hand of God upon the earth and the heavens. Pre-Wrath proponents do not consider the first five Seals to be severe and interpret them as the birth pangs of Matthew 24. But how can one surmise this when one-fourth of the population dies? One-fourth may not sound like a lot of lives, but when you put it into perspective, it truly is! The population today is 8.1 billion souls so one-fourth is 2.03 billion people! I would definitely say that this is more than a birth pang. The birth pangs of Matthew 24 are what we are seeing today. We are seeing a culmination of the events that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 24.
They too mistaken the Tribulation saints with the Church in Matthew 24:22 and 31. It cannot be the Church as Jesus says that she should pray that their flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day in verse 24:20. The church is not under the Law, therefore this references the Jews. Also, the souls under the altar in Revelation 6:11 were given white robes. The Church, Christ’s Bride, is given fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. (Revelation 19:8)
We will cover the last viewpoint in the next study. Are you ready for the Rapture? You must be born again in order to participate, no matter what viewpoint you hold. Friend, if you are not born again, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Don’t you want to be a part of the Church when she is raptured into the clouds to meet Jesus? (1 Thessalonians 4:17) Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
