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
5:9-10 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our
Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should
live together with him.
The above verses prove that the church which is the Body of
Christ will not go through the Tribulation period, Daniel’s 70th
Week. Of course these are not the only verses that prove this, but they are the
most plain and they speak directly on the matter. We will be raptured before
any part of Daniel’s 70th Week.
There is indeed a “Post Tribulation” rapture, but it is
certainly NOT “Pre Wrath”. The Jews and believers of the gospel of the kingdom
during that time will be under God’s wrath and judgement. That is the purpose
of the tribulation, to judge Israel for their rejection of God and His word. Even
in the first three and a half years (which some people inaccurately claim will
not be so bad) is a time of God’s judgement. For it is during this time that
God is sending a strong delusion that everyone on earth will have to resist if
they are going to escape the deception of the son of perdition (few people
will).
Being delivered from God’s wrath is a unique position that
we have today as members of the Body of Christ (God will not pour out wrath on
Himself!). Many times in past dispensations God’s people experienced His wrath.
Many times David prayed, “O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger” (Ps. 6:1, 38:1,
78:31, 79:5, 85:3-5, 88:7, 88:16, 89:46, 90:7-9, 90:14, 106:40). Aren’t you
glad that we do not have to pray for God not to pour out His wrath on us when
we mess up? We are justified by faith and have peace with God (Rom. 5:1). This
is a unique position to the Body of Christ, in times past and in the future God’s
people (the nation of Israel) experience His wrath (Ezek. 5:13-15, 6:12, 7:12, 21:1-22:31;
Numb. 1:53, Prov. 11:8, Zech. 7:12, Deut. 11:17, 2 Chron. 30:8-9, 36:6).
The Post Tribulation Pre Wrath proponents insist that the
rapture of the church which is the Body of Christ is close to the middle of the
Tribulation but that we will not experience God’s wrath, only persecution and
tribulation by unbelievers. This is clearly not true. The Bible makes it very
clear that there is a rapture at the END of the Tribulation (not the middle)
that is for the believing remnant of ISRAEL and believers of the gospel of the
kingdom (not the Body of Christ) and that the tribulation was GOD’s WRATH as
judgement on Israel (not unbelievers persecuting the Body of Christ).
Post Tribulation Pre Wrath proponents often site Matthew
24:29 and Mark 13:24 in their sermons and literature as proof texts for their
position. They say that believers will only experience “tribulation” and not
God’s wrath. However, they neglect to site Luke 21:23. More than likely because
it mentions God’s vengeance and wrath, which debunks their position.
Luke 21:
[20] And when ye
shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation
thereof is nigh.
[21] Then let them
which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst
of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
[22] For these be
the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
[23] But woe unto
them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for
there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
[24] And they shall
fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations:
and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the
Gentiles be fulfilled.
[25] And there shall
be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth
distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
[26] Men's hearts
failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on
the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
[27] And then shall
they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
[28] And when these
things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your
redemption draweth nigh.
Post Tribulation Pre Wrath proponents still insist that this
is not God’s wrath. I find this to be an extraordinary position in light of the
fact that there are dozens of verses that mention this rapture as being AFTER
the nation of Israel experiences God’s wrath. Many of them are in the book of
Isaiah. Below I have posted many passages in Isaiah and one in Jeremiah that
mention this Post Tribulation rapture of the remnant of Israel. Each passage is
clearly in reference to the remnant of Israel being gathered to enter the
Millennial Kingdom after the Tribulation. So that you can see the context for
yourself, I have posted lengthy segments of the chapters.
Isaiah 11-12
[1] And there shall
come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his
roots:
[2] And the spirit of
the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the
spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the
LORD;
[3] And shall make
him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge
after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
[4] But with
righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of
the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the
breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
[5] And righteousness
shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
[6] The wolf also
shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the
calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead
them.
[7] And the cow and
the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion
shall eat straw like the ox.
[8] And the sucking
child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his
hand on the cockatrice' den.
[9] They shall not
hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the
knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
[10] And in that day
there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people;
to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
[11] And it shall
come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second
time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria,
and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar,
and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
[12] And he shall set
up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and
gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (The so called “Post Tribulation” rapture is NOT a gathering
of the church the Body of Christ, but of ISRAEL.)
[13] The envy also of
Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim
shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
[14] But they shall
fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil
them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and
the children of Ammon shall obey them.
[15] And the LORD
shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind
shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven
streams, and make men go over dryshod.
[16] And there shall
be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria;
like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt
[1] And in that day
thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me,
thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. (The Lord was ANGRY with His people; they were under His
wrath! Though it will be the Gentile nations persecuting Israel, it is God that
brings this judgement on them. Remember it is the Lord that opens the seals in
Revelation 6:1 that starts the Tribulation period.)
[2] Behold, God is my
salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength
and my song; he also is become my salvation.
[3] Therefore with
joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
[4] And in that day
shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the
people, make mention that his name is exalted.
[5] Sing unto the
LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.
[6] Cry out and shout,
thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of
thee.
Isaiah 51:
[17] Awake, awake,
stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of
his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them
out. (Just as in Isaiah 12:1, the context in
chapter 51 is the nation of Israel entering the Millennial kingdom. And
likewise it describes the nation as experiencing God’s wrath! Those who will
survive the great tribulation will not get delivered from the wrath of God.
They will not be members of the Body of Christ.)
[18] There is none to
guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any
that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.
[19] These two things
are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction,
and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee?
[20] Thy sons have
fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net:
they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.
[21] Therefore hear
now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
[22] Thus saith thy
Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I
have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of
my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:
[23] But I will put
it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow
down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as
the street, to them that went over.
Isaiah 54:
[5] For thy Maker is
thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of
Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
[6] For the LORD hath
called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth,
when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
[7] For a small
moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
[8] In a little
wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness
will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. (Again, the context is the believing remnant of Israel going into the
Kingdom. God says that during the tribulation that they will be “forsaken” and
that He will hide His face from them in His “WRATH”. This is not the Body
Christ. These are Jews that believed the gospel of the kingdom and experienced
God’s wrath.)
[9] For this is as
the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should
no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee,
nor rebuke thee.
[10] For the
mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not
depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the
LORD that hath mercy on thee.
Isaiah 60:
[1] Arise, shine; for
thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
[2] For, behold, the
darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD
shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
[3] And the Gentiles
shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
[4] Lift up thine
eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to
thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy
side.
[5] Then thou shalt
see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because
the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the
Gentiles shall come unto thee.
[6] The multitude of
camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from
Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth
the praises of the LORD.
[7] All the flocks of
Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister
unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify
the house of my glory.
[8] Who are these
that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
[9] Surely the isles
shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far,
their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and
to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
[10] And the sons of
strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for
in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
(Again, the whole chapter is on the Millennial Kingdom and it
is the believing remnant of Israel inheriting the earth and being served by the
Gentiles. But this is after God SMOTE them in His WRATH.)
[11] Therefore thy
gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men
may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be
brought.
[12] For the nation
and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be
utterly wasted.
[13] The glory of
Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box
together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of
my feet glorious.
[14] The sons also of
them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that
despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they
shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
[15] Whereas thou
hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make
thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
[16] Thou shalt also
suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou
shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of
Jacob.
[17] For brass I will
bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for
stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors
righteousness.
[18] Violence shall
no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but
thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
[19] The sun shall be
no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto
thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy
glory.
[20] Thy sun shall no
more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be
thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
[21] Thy people also
shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my
planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
[22] A little one
shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will
hasten it in his time.
Jeremiah 32:
[36] And now
therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof
ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the
sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;
[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: (The context is the
New Covenant that God will make with the believing remnant of Israel at the
beginning of the Millennial reign. This post tribulation gathering is AFTER the
remnant is driven out of the land in God’s ANGER, FURY, and GREAT WRATH.)
[38] And they shall
be my people, and I will be their God:
[39] And I will give
them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of
them, and of their children after them:
[40] And I will make
an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do
them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart
from me.
[41] Yea, I will
rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly
with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
[42] For thus saith
the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people,
so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.
Of course these are not all the references. There are dozens
of references to the Post Tribulation rapture of Israel throughout the Old
Testament (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,
30:1-31:9, 31:31-34, 32:36-42, 33:1-18, 50:18-20; Isaiah 10:20-23, 26:19,
51:11, 54:5-9; Micah 2:12, Hos. 1:11, Ps. 17:18, etc.). This is yet another
reason why this Post Tribulation rapture cannot be the rapture of the Body of
Christ. Our rapture was part of the mystery of the age of grace (Rom. 6:14,
11:25, 16:25, Eph. 3:1-9). Our rapture was a mystery given to Paul by the word
of the Lord, it is not the prophesied rapture and resurrection of the nation of
Israel that has been spoken about throughout the Old Testament.
1 Corinthians
15:51-52 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.
1 Thessalonians 4:15 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.
This was not an exhaustive defense of the Pre-Tribulation
rapture, much more could be said. This is simply food for thought and perhaps
some references that you will find useful in understanding this subject.