In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul described a coming day in which those both alive and dead in Christ would be caught up and meet the Lord in the air. The English words ‘caught up’ were translated from the Greek word ‘harpazō’. In the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible, harpazō is translated into rapere. Rapere is the Latin word for snatched away. This word is where we get the English phrase, rapture.
Through the revelation of scripture we know that Christ will return, defeat the Antichrist, and establish his kingdom. However, before Christ returns, there will be seven years of tribulation upon the earth. This tribulation is described in both the Old and New Testament. Jeremiah 30:7-9 described this tribulation as the day of Jacob’s trouble. Matthew 24:15-21, recorded Jesus’s description of the days of the tribulation. Daniel foretold of a future span of seven years in which the Antichrist would be upon the earth before Christ’s return.
The question that Christians have sought to answer is, where does the Body of Christ fit into these prophecies? Throughout the history of Christianity, there have been two major groups formed from this question. There are the Post-Tribulationists, who believe that Christians will have to endure the tribulation and the rapture will occur at the end of the seven years. Then, there are the Pre-Tribualitonists who believe that the rapture will occur prior to the tribulation.
The Pre-Tribulationist view has been the traditional view among Southern Baptist Churches. Pastors and theologians such as Adrian Rogers and Charles Stanley have been defenders of this doctrine. However, in recent years, Post-Tribulationists have started taking center stage, even among Southern Baptists.
There are several passages that Post-Tribulationists will reference to defend their case. Matthew 24:7-13 is one example. Furthermore, Revelation 20:1-5 seems to suggest the resurrection and rapture doesn’t occur until after Christ’s return at the end of the tribulation.
When considering these passages, why would one affirm a Pre-Tribulation rapture? It is important to understand that the Pre-Tribulationist view is not built upon the single passage in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Rather, it is based upon carefully considering the full revelation of God as a whole.
This is similar to the doctrine of Right Division. We do not affirm Right Division simply because Paul mentions it one time in 2 Timothy 2:15. A single verse would not provide enough context or information to build an entire doctrine. Instead, this verse hints at a certain way of approaching scripture and we then closely study God’s word and realize the distinctions between Israel and the Body of Christ. Then we are able to fully understand what Paul was referring to in 2 Timothy 2:15.
If we are careful to observe the context of the passages concerning the tribulation, we will notice a consistent pattern. All of the passages we read about the tribulation were concerning the nation of Israel. Many of these verses and “proof-texts” come from the words of Jesus addressing the Jewish people. Therefore, by rightly dividing Jesus’s word, we don’t mix Israel and the Body of Christ. This all circles back to understanding the mystery dispensation of the grace of God in which we live. The prophecies concerned Israel. The mystery concerns us. Therefore, Revelation does record the first resurrection, for the Jewish people!
Separating the Body of Christ from the tribulation resolves some major doctrinal issues that manifest from a Post-Tribulationist view. In our dispensation, we are saved by grace through faith, and not by enduring till the end. The tribulation is meant for Israel, to turn them back to the Lord, and make them realize that Christ truly was their Messiah. Simply compare 1 Thessalonians 4 with Revelation 19, they don’t even sound the same.
