Pre-trib rapture

Here is an email I sent to a brother on the topic of the pre-tribulation rapture of the church in response to his video "After the Tribulation".

"Pastor Anderson,

I first heard of you through your discussion with James R. White on the KJB. I myself am a STAUNCH a King James Bible believer, I believe that every word in the KJB is inspired--even the italics.

However, I do disagree strongly with you on your rapture teaching. I am pre-trib and dispensational.

I would like to help you on this issue, so I have attached the following attachment. I have no intention on "debating" you, but I would like to try and help you out as a fellow Bible believer.

My position is based on scripture--not Darby or Scofield.

I think I mentioned this in the attachment on dispensational differences, but Jeremiah 30 (whole chapter) and Jeremiah 32:37 make it clear that the tribulation period is God bringing persecution on Israel for her sins.

Jeremiah 30:4-11

"And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished."

"Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:" (Jeremiah 32:37)

I realize that the word "tribulation" was not used, but I assume you realize that the tribulation is the subject of Jeremiah 30?

Anyway, we can see from the scriptures that the tribulation concerns Israel and it is Jacob's trouble. However, we in the body of Christ are NOT Jews or Greeks because we are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:26-29, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13).

I agree that Matthew 24 is a rapture, there is no doubt about that. But I disagree that it is the rapture of the church, the body of Christ. The rapture of Matthew 24 is the prophesied re-gathering of Israel to Christ when He will take away their sins and reign over them (Jeremiah 30, 31, 32, Joel 2, Ezekiel 36, etc.).

Now consider the rapture of the body of Christ--not Israel.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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.

"I shew you a mystery"

"I would not have you to be ignorant"

"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord"

This is hardly the prophesied re-gathering of Israel--this is a mystery and Matthew 24 is of prophecy.

And as we saw in Jeremiah, the tribulation is the time in which God brings punishment on Israel for theirs sins prior to His return for them to bring them into the kingdom. This tribulation is when God scatters His people (Israel) in His "anger", "fury", and "great wrath".

We are not going through that--we are not Israel, we are the body of Christ. We are not appointed unto wrath, which IS the tribulation according to Jeremiah 32:37.

"Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:" (Jeremiah 32:37)

We are not appointed to God's wrath, especially not His wrath on Israel.

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Please consider and pray about this, let me know what you think."