Pre-"Tribulation" rapture in 2 Corinthians 4:14-5:11

The people who believe that the rapture of the Body of Christ is before Daniel's 70th Week often make accusations against those who believe in the Pre-Daniel's-70th-Week such as

"There is no verse in the Bible that teaches the Pre-Tribulation rapture"

"The Pre-Tribulation rapture started with a crazy girl in the 1820's"

"The Tribulation is never called "wrath", God's wrath is only poured out at the Second Advent."

And on and on they go.

I have showed in previous posts that those are both lies and that all "Post Trib Rapture" believers are lying (whether on purpose or in ignorance). There are many verses that plainly state the rapture of the Body of Christ will be BEFORE Daniel's 70th Week. I am not talking about indirect statements or theories based, I mean plain statements. The problem is that the "Post Tribulation Rapture" people have turned this issue into a battle of vocabulary. All of their proofs and arguments are based on false definitions and wrong use of vocabulary.

For example, a "pre tribulation rapture" believer will say "There is no way that God would let His own body, the Church, go through the Tribulation". Then the "post tribulation rapture" people are quick to say "Oh yes He would. Look at John 16:33, Acts 14:22, Rom. 5:3 and other passages. Clearly God will let us go through tribulation." The "Post-Trib" argument is completely based on the word "tribulation". Their premise is that there is a PERIOD OF TIME called "THE Tribulation" and that since God lets the Church go through tribulation, we can also go through this so called period of time called "THE Tribulation". That is a lie. There is NO period of time in the entire Bible called "THE Tribulation". It appears nowhere in the Bible. "Tribulation" is an adjective and NOT a noun. Just like C.I. Scofield misdefined a "dispensation" as a period of time, likewise the Post Tribbers have done the same thing with the word "tribulation". The duration of Daniel's 70th Week is called the "LAST DAYS", "LATTER DAYS", "the DAYS OF VENGEANCE", and "THE TIME of Jacob's Trouble". God's attitude toward Israel in this period of time is described as "WRATH", "GREAT WRATH", "FURY", and "ANGER".

At this point the so called "Post Tribulation rapture" people have just lost over a dozen proof texts. Every time the word "tribulation" shows up in the New Testament they jump on it like a bug on fly paper and say that these verses prove that the Church is going to go through a period of time called "THE Tribulation". As brother Paul said, these Post "Tribulation" rapture people teach this stuff "understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." (1 Tim. 1:7). Just like Hymenaeus and Philetus, they couldn't rightly divide a Kit-Kat Bar (2 Tim. 2:15-18).

It is obvious that the Body of Christ will go through a lot persecution and tribulation. All believers since Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, etc. have gone through persecution and tribulation.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. 

2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

What does this have to do with Daniel's 70th Week or any rapture of any kind? Absolutely nothing.

Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are the big hang ups for "Post-Tribulation Rapture" people. The "post-tribbers" actually believe that Matthew/Mark/Luke/John are about the Church which is the Body of Christ, even though it cannot be found anywhere in those 89 chapters. Everyone the Lord talked to and preached to in those Books were Jews and any Gentiles that got blessed in that period of time got blessed only because they acknowledged that they were DOGS and the Jews were God's chosen people. Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers (Rom. 15:8). The Jews are who Christ came to (Rom. 9:4-5). Christ was sent ONLY to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt. 15:22-26, Mark 7:25-27). During Christ's earthly ministry salvation was of the Jews (John 4:22, Luke 19:9). Christ sent His apostles only to the Jews (Matt. 10:6-7). There is no grace age dispensation in the four Gospels, that was given to Paul (Rom. 6:14, Eph. 3:2, 1 Tim. 1:11-16). In the four Gospels all you have is the Law and the New Covenant (which is still the Law) with Israel. Jesus Christ taught the Law only, not the dispensation of Grace being free from the Law (Matt. 5:17-20, 7:12, 8:4, 19:17, 23:1-3, 24:20). Which is why the 12 apostles of Israel (Matt. 10:5-8, 19:28) were continually in the temple, keeping the feasts, keeping the dietrary restrictions, and would not dare go into a Gentiles home and eat with him (Luke 24:53, Acts 2:46, 3:1, 5:42, 10:10-17, 10:28). That is why Ananias was a devout man according to the Law (Acts 22:12) and that is why James's disciples were all zealous of the Law in Acts 21:18-24. That is also why some of the BELIEVERS in the church at Jerusalem thought that circumcision was a requirement for salvation in Acts 15:5. Without the Pauline epistles and the revelations that the Lord gave us through him, there would be no such thing as the dispensation of Grace...all you would have is the Law (Rom. 6:14). Matthew through Acts 8 is all about restoring the Kingdom to Israel. Gentiles were allowed to convert and get in on the blessings to Israel (Matt. 28:19-20, Mark. 16:15) IF they recognized that they were dogs (Matt. 15:22-26, Mark 7:25-27).

Most Post "Tribulation" people will not accept those Biblical facts. They actually believe that there is only one gospel throughout the entire Bible and that dispensationalism is satanic. They think they are "spiritual Jews" in Christ and that the saved people under Grace become "the Israel of God". How you could 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Galatians 3:26-28, Col. 3:11, Rom. 11:25, Eph. 2:14-16, etc. and believe that you are a "spiritual Jew" I will never know. In fact, the only time the phrase "the Israel of God" shows up in the Bible is in Galatians 6:16 and it is clearly separated from the Church, the New Creature in Christ (Gal. 6:15-16).

Dispensationalism is the main issue in the rapture debate. Those who think they are Jews in Christ and that this present age was not a mystery given to Paul but in fulfillment of OT prophecy WILL believe in a "Post Tribulation Rapture" because there is a rapture of the believing Jews at the end of Daniel's 70th Week (Dan. 12:1-2, Ezek. 37:1-28). Here is a thorough list of Old Testament references to the rapture/resurrection of Israel at the end of Daniel's 70th Week:

• Ezekiel 11:16-20, 20:33-38, 28:25-26, 34:1-31, 36:16-38, 37:1-14, 37:21-28,  39:23-29
• Jeremiah 23:1-8, 30:1-31:10, 31:16-18, 31:31-34, 32:36-42, 33:1-18, 50:18-20
• Isaiah 10:20-23, 14:1, 26:19, 27:12-13, 51:11, 54:5-9
• Micah 2:12, Hos. 1:11, 3:5, Zeph. 3:15-20, Dan. 12:1-2, Deut. 30:1-10, Zech. 8:7-8
• Ps. 50:5, 57:3, 106:47-107:7

Look up all of those references and you will see that they are ALL about Israel being resurrected/raptured to their LAND to be in a New Covenant with God keeping His Law perfectly by the supernatural power of the Holy Ghost. They have nothing whatsoever to do with a member of the Body of Christ under Grace. The Body of Christ will be taken to HEAVEN, not the earth. We are caught up in the air to go to heaven, not the "land".

1 Thessalonians 4:
[13] 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.
[14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
[15] 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.
[16] 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:
[17] 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.
[18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Philippians 3:
[20] For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
[21] Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

1 Corinthians 15:48-49 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Ephesians 2:
[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
[7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:
[1] If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
[2] Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
[3] For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
[4] When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

The Body of Christ is going to be caught up to heaven, where our blessings are, not to the city of Jerusalem and the land of Israel. At the Second Advent and "regeneration" Jesus Christ will be reigning over the world with the 12 apostles judging the 12 tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28). The earth will be like the garden of Eden and the crops will flourish and the earth will be wonderful (Isa. 51:3, Ezek. 36:35, Joel 2:3). People will inherit lands and they will be rich on the earth (Matt. 19:29, Mark 10:29-30, Matt. 24:44-47, 25:14-23, Luke 12:42-44). These are hardly "spiritual blessings" in "heavenly places" that those under Grace receive (Eph. 1:3, 2:6-7, Col. 3:1-4).

But now to the point of this post...2 Corinthians 4:14-5:10 contains plain Scripture proving that the rapture of the Body of Christ happens before Daniel's 70th Week. Clearly the apostle Paul knew that he would never go through the Time of Jacob's Trouble.

2 Corinthians 4:14-5:11
[14] Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
[15] For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
[16] For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
[17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
[18] While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
[1] For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
[2] For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
[3] If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
[4] For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
[5] Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
[6] Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
[7] (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
[8] We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
[9] Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
[10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
[11] Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

As seen from the passage above, Paul told the Church that we look for Christ to raise us up to be clothed with a new immortal body.

We do not look for anything that is seen, but at the things which are NOT seen. The Body of Christ does NOT have any "signs" to look for before our rapture, signs are for the Jews (1 Cor. 1:22, John 4:48). Which means...The "signs" in Matthew 24 have nothing to do with the Church the Body of Christ.

Our rapture is something that we "know" (4:14), "look" for (4:18), "groan" for (5:2), "confident" about (5:6), and it is something we are "willing" to happen (5:8). The Lord told the apostles of Israel (Matt. 19:28) to "look" and "watch" for His Second Coming, but only when the events of the Olivet Discourse begin to come to pass. The 12 apostles of Israel were not looking for Christ to come at any moment, they were waiting till the first signs happened as found in Matthew 24:3-6. Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28. Contrast that with what Paul wrote here in 2 Corinthians and also Titus 2:13, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;". The apostle of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13) did not wait till "these things begin to come to pass" because Matthew/Mark/Luke/John were written about the Jews and the mystery of the Dispensation of Grace had not been revealed yet. Titus 2:13 and Luke 21:28 do not agree, they are clearly different.

Notice there in 2 Corinthians 4:14-5:11 that the chronology is that we wait for the rapture experiencing light affliction, then we get a new immortal body, then we stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ. [The Judgement Seat of Christ is where we are at during the Day of the Lord according to 1 Cor. 1:7-8, 5:5, 2 Cor. 1:12-14, Phil. 1:6, 1:9-10, 2:15-16, etc.]. There is no mention of Daniel's 70th Week in the whole passage! In fact, the passage proves that we will NOT go into Daniel's 70th Week...Look what Paul told the Body of Christ compared to what the Lord said to those under the Gospel of the Kingdom (Jewish Dispensation).

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

Mark 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

Clearly Paul knew he would not go into Daniel's 70th Week.

--Eli Caldwell