Understanding The Rapture Series

NOTE: This Bible study on the end times comes from the perspective of a pre-tribulation Rapture.

In our last study we looked at the Seven Churches of Asia to arrive at the conclusion that we are now entering the last days. There is a succession of events that must take place during the last days, and we will begin looking at these events tonight, starting with what is commonly called the Rapture. So, go ahead and be finding your place in Revelation chapter 4. This chapter is where we encounter the passage that is most commonly seen as describing the point at which the Rapture occurs.

The word “rapture” is defined as “ecstasy” and “violence of a pleasing passion” (Webster, 1828), which many of us understand in the sense of describing the intimacy between a husband and wife. The word “rapture” is not actually found in the Scripture; however, the Christian community uses this term to describe the event in which Christ transports believers directly from earth into heaven.

Tonight, we are going to look at the two most prominent views on when the Rapture will occur. These two views are the Pre-tribulation Rapture and the Post Tribulation Rapture. However, before we can make any sense of tonight’s lesson we must briefly touch upon the subject of the Tribulation.

The Tribulation is the period of persecution described in the Book of Revelation. This period is about seven years in length, with the first 3 ½ years being somewhat uneventful as the Antichrist covertly makes his way to power. The most difficult part of the Tribulation period will occur during the last 3 ½ years, and then we come to the Battle of Armageddon; and after this great and final battle between Christ and the forces of the devil, then the reign of Christ will begin.

If you are curious about the 3 ½ year reference for the last half of the Tribulation period, which involves severe persecution, it is found in Revelation 11:2 and 13:5 as 42 months; and it’s also found in Revelation 11:3 and 12:6 as 1,260 days. 42 months and 1,260 days are each equal to 3 ½ years.

As we get started, keep in mind that Pre-tribulation is the view that Christians will be raptured before the Tribulation, and Post Tribulation is the belief that believers will actually go through the Tribulation.

(Refer to Handout: “Two Views on the Rapture”)

Turn with me in your Bibles, and let’s read Revelation 4:1:

1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

• What do you think is the phrase that some people see as heralding the Rapture?

The answer is the phrase “come up here.” You might also add to this how John stated, “The first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me,” reminding us of 1 Thessalonians 4:16, which says, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

Tim LaHaye, in his book Revelation Unveiled, says that John’s “elevation to heaven is a picture of the Rapture of the Church just before the Tribulation begins.” Granted, there’s not a lot of information here to easily draw the conclusion that there is going to be a Rapture; however, this is the verse to which Bible scholars point as signaling the Rapture, so we are going to discuss this matter more depth. We are going to begin here by first looking at what is said about a Pre-tribulation Rapture.

Pre-tribulation Rapture

I have found two main arguments for the Pre-tribulation view of the Rapture, and they are very brief. The first argument comes from a verse found in Revelation that seems to suggest that Christians will not go through the Tribulation.

Turn with me in your Bibles, and let’s read Revelation 3:10:

10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

This verse says that God will “keep” those who have persevered (the Church) from the hour of trial (the Tribulation).

The second argument is this: Tim LaHaye says, “The absence of any mention of the Church in the rest of Revelation indicates that it is not on the earth during the Tribulation. There are sixteen references to the Church in Revelation 1-3, whereas chapters 6-18 . . . do not mention the Church once.” In fact, in chapters 4-5, John was speaking of the Church as being located in heaven.