The Rapture Part IV

The second view of the rapture that we will be looking at is the Pre-Wrath Rapture Theory. 

This view was first presented by Robert Van Kampen when he released his view of the three-quarters rapture theory in the late 1970s which was the start of the Pre-Wrath theory. Marvin Rosenthal in The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church (Nashville: Nelson, 1990) was the first published illustration of the Van Kampen three-quarters rapture theory.

Those that hold to this view say that the rapture does not take place till a little bit after the middle of the Tribulation when the word wrath is found in revelation 6:16.

Revelation 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.

They say that the rapture occurs just after the sixth seal and that God’s wrath is poured out just before the seventh seal. 

Here is the problem with this, even though the word wrath is not mentioned before in the first five seals God’s wrath is clearly visible in the first five seals. 

Rosenthal said that the word tribulation is not used when referring to the first half of Daniel’s 70th week. This verse shows why Rosenthal’s view is problematic.     
                                                                                                                                Matthew 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

This verse is speaking of the first half of the Tribulation, and we see the word afflicted here. The Strong’s word for be afflicted is θλῖψις. This means anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, and trouble. Tribulation is described in the first half of the seventieth week and when you put the Bible together as a whole, you can see the wrath of God being poured out during all the seals not just starting between the sixth and the seventh seal.

Revelation 6:7-8 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

We can see in the fourth seal that a quarter of earth’s population is killed. Undoubtably the wrath of God being poured out upon the world.

When the tribulation starts, the wrath of God is going to be poured out on this earth like it has never been poured out before. 

• The wonderful thing is, is that God does not want you to experience His wrath. He sent his only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you. Why, so you could be reconciled unto God and would not have to suffer His wrath.
• Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

• Christians remember, we must be fulfilling the great commission. Remember, when you leave your house that you are walking out into the harvest. We must tell the world about Jesus Christ what He did for us on the cross.
• Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Stay tuned for the rapture part V.