P1 Next Big Thing #2: Catching Away of the Church

1 Thessalonians 4:17 - Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

Introduction:

All last week we focused a great deal of time on the doctrine that is called "the rapture of the church". We had also mentioned several weeks back that we were going to feature posts that had to do with what we call "next big things" - that is to say - events that will impact every person on this planet. The first "next big thing" we had featured dealt with the subject of: "Death, Hell and Heaven" (link-http://pastormahlon.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-next-big-thing-death-hell-or-heaven.html ).  Truly there are going to be two ways in which a believer in Jesus Christ will be able to exit out of this world: either by death or by rapture. 

When we talk about the rapture of the church, the flagship passages in the Bible that deal with the rapture most clearly are 1 Corinthians 15 in general and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 in particular. There are certainly other passages that we could had to that list that aid greatly in the detail and scope of Paul's teaching in that section. The most fundamental meaning of the word "rapture" is that of "catching away", and so we will use the acrostic "c.a.t.c.h" to navigate through this "next big thing" on the horizon of eschatology (the study of last things). So what can be said about the rapture or "catching away" of the church? May the reader note the following thoughts:

Christ is the rapture's pattern. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

Paul states in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus." Why is it that Paul ties together the events surrounding Christ's resurrection from the dead to the events surrounding the rapture of the church? Simply put - Whatever Christ experienced as fact, we as Christians can expect to experience by faith and fact. Matter of fact we find the same type of connection in 1 Corinthians 15, where both the events of Christ resurrection and the rapture of the church are mentioned. Note the pattern between Christ and the rapture:

1. Resurrection of Christ who died and resurrection of those who died in Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 23; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14. 

2. Transformation of the living Christ and transformation of those alive in Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:5, 48-51; 1 Thessalonians 4:16

3. Ascension of the transformed living Christ and catching away of transformed and risen saints. Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Aim of the rapture: The church. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17

Notice what Paul says especially in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." Who are the targets of the rapture? There are literally hundreds of passages that deal with the second advent or coming of Christ, however there are only about half a dozen or so passages that deal with the rapture. None are found in the Old Testament. Only one is found by way of allusion by Jesus in John 14:1-3. Concerning direct references, we could only classify three main places: Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:20-58 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Paul indirectly refers to the rapture in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8. When we look at these handful of rapture passages, the one thing common to them all is that the target of the rapture is the church.  In lieu of the Jewish wedding imagery of the 1st century, Christ the bridegroom is going to appear in the clouds to "catch away" his bride so as to take her away to the "Father's house in Heaven". (compare John 14:1-3) Thus the aim of the rapture or "catching away" is the church and the pattern is Christ. Notice next...

Timing: Before the tribulation period. 1 Thess 1:10; 5:9 

When we speak of the timing or placement of the rapture or catching away of the church, we must appeal to other scriptures to guide our thinking.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 functions to give us a description of the rapture, with other passages helping us to place the rapture. We know that 1 Thessalonians 1:10 and 5:9 both talk about how God has not appointed the church to have to suffer God's wrath. This certainly does not mean of course that the church will not have to undergo suffering in general, since many tribulations must be endured before entering into the kingdom. (Acts 14:22) However the "wrath of God" is completely different in that the nature of the church is that her Savior has already suffered the wrath of God on her behalf. 

When we turn to Revelation, we cannot make a decisive case for determining the rapture's timing, being that the Book of Revelation does not directly mention the rapture. However the wrath of God is mentioned quite frequently throughout the book, and so by implication we can say who won't be on the earth during the tribulation - namely the church. 

We know that in repeated cycles and sequences, Revelation 6-19 covers the final seven year tribulation period. According to Cruden's Compact Concordance, this period is deemed "God's wrath" (Revelation 6:16; 14:8; 18:3); "day of wrath" (Revelation 6:17); "wrath of God" (Revelation 16:1; 19:15); "His wrath" (Revelation 16:19) and "Thy wrath" (Revelation 11:18).1 The logic is inescapable:

a. Christ's church is not appointed to experience the wrath of God

b. The wrath of God will be poured out during the entire seven year tribulation period

c. Therefore the church will be raptured before the tribulation period

This position is what we call the "pretribulation" view of the rapture. So we have seen the rapture's pattern, aim and timing.

More tomorrow.....

Endnotes:

1. Cruden's Compact Concordance. Zondervan. Pages 557-558

Meet Southern Baptists

Ephesians 5:25-27 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless."

Introduction:

Today's post is aimed at introducing readers to the Southern Baptist Convention. In an article taken directly from the SBC website, the reader will get a quick introduction to who Southern Baptists are and what makes them distinct from other Bible believing groups. The below article is an excerpt from the fuller complete article that the reader can link to at: http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/

Meet Southern Baptists

"For almost 170 years, Southern Baptists have sought to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people everywhere. The Southern Baptist Convention was formed with a Gospel vision. Its founding charter identifies its singular focus: ...for the purpose of eliciting, combining, and directing the energies of the Baptist denomination of Christians, for the propagation of the Gospel...

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has grown to be a network of more than 50,000 cooperating churches and church-type missions banded together to make an impact of God's Kingdom. While no two Southern Baptist churches are alike, there are certain commonalities that bind Southern Baptists together, regardless of ethnicity, socio-economic status, language, or locale. What we offer here is an overview to help tell the story of what God is doing in and through the people called Southern Baptists.

Who Southern Baptists Are

Southern Baptists are as varied and diverse as the cities, towns, neighborhoods, and rural communities where you may find them. Each autonomous Southern Baptist church is unique; only when viewed together can one grasp the diversity that is the Southern Baptist Convention. Southern Baptist churches represent a broad range in...
size -- very small to very large
culture -- Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western, and every subculture within each region
age -- very young to very old
ministry setting -- inner-city, storefront, suburban, small town, open countryside, cowboy, motorcyle
ethnicity -- Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, and numerous other ethnic groups
worship style -- traditional, contemporary, and everything in between
theological perspective -- all within the framework of historic biblical orthodoxy

But to know Southern Baptists means to understand that the center of who and what we are is the Person and Work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Southern Baptists are people who have been redeemed through Christ from sin -- the spiritual brokenness that causes us to resist God's ways and fall short of His glory.

Southern Baptists hold high the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the unifying center around which everything else is built and from which all ministry flows. We use the phrase "regenerate church membership" to emphasize that the starting point for everything related to a Southern Baptist church is each individual's personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives.

Southern Baptists believe that each human being is a sinner by birth and by choice, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We believe that Jesus, "in His substitutionary death on the cross," made "provision for the redemption of men from sin" and "effected the reconciliation between God and man" (The Baptist Faith and Message, Article II B., God the Son). And we believe that "There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord" (BF&M, Article IV, Salvation).


While the Bible does not teach that the waters of baptism have any saving power (salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, Ephesians 2:8), in keeping with the biblical emphasis reflected in our heritage and name, and as "people of the Book" (the Bible), Southern Baptists believe that all true believers will long to be identified fully with their Lord and Savior through the act of believer's baptism.

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (see Matthew 28:19). It is an act of obedience symbolizing (1) the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, (2) the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus, and (3) the believer's trust that his or her mortal flesh shall be clothed with immortality in the final resurrection of the dead.

It is by the Gospel, because of the Gospel, and for the Gospel that the Southern Baptist Convention exists; so it only makes sense that everything about Southern Baptists is tied directly to the Gospel."

Why preaching more than once a week must be a conviction

2 Timothy 1:5-7 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. ⁶ For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.


Introduction
This particular text has been on my heart for more than a few weeks and I have been desiring to write on this subject of the urgency of preaching.  Today's post is written as much to congregations as it is to fellow preachers of the Word. As a pastor of a wonderful, active church in the 21st century, I find it interesting how many churches and pastors are scaling back on the frequency of preaching throughout a given week. I understand that for some, the frequency of preaching may very well be considered a preference. Others may say that for the sake of increasing interest in church or for more effective outreach, perhaps preaching should be lessened to allow other programs to take its place.  


There may very well be rare occasions where such sentiments are valid.  However when I reflect on Paul's instructions to his young protégé Timothy, the urgency of the hour requires not less, but more emphasis on preaching of the Word. For me this text spells out why preaching more than once a week is not a preference, but a conviction. Please note the following thoughts:


1. Preachers who remain on fire must preach frequently. 2 Timothy 1:4-6
Whether the pastor is preaching more than once a week in their church, or whether the pastor has opportunity to preach in places such as nursing homes, hospitals or street corners - his preaching will only grow when it is done more frequently. Notice 2 Timothy 1:6 "For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands." That underlined phrase "kindle afresh" comes from a verbal form and root that speaks of a repeated stirring of glowing embers in a fire.


Preaching entails waging war against lack of faith, stirring saints to greater faith and sustaining interest in Christ, the author of faith. John Wesley often urged his preachers to "build a fire in the pulpit".  A true preacher will say with Jeremiah 20:9 "But if I say, 'I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,' Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it."


2. Preaching that builds courageous listeners must be frequent. 2 Timothy 1:7-8

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:7-8 "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God." We are living in a fearful age where out of timidity many churches and pulpits are backpedaling on the truth. As one preacher stated years ago about modern day pulpits: "Preaching now-a-days is a mild mannered man, speaking to a mild-mannered people a mild-mannered message about how to be more mild-mannered."

In a 21st century world where changes in laws on marriage, on- demand abortion and terrorism are realities, God's churches need to hear not less of God's Word, but more. Courageous churches are needed to minister to a wayward culture in both truth and love. Worry, doubt and fear crowd the hearts of so many people and what is needed is a Word from God.  Paul's exhortation to young Timothy to not be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord was urgent, being that this young pastor was going to need to exhort His people weekly to face a paganized culture with the truth that Jesus reigns, Jesus saves and that without Him there is no hope in this world nor in the next. The church that is going to advance in the 21st century needs a courageous pulpit as its rudder to navigate the turbulent waters of this world. We need to be told repeatedly the words God told Joshua in Joshua 1:9 that in effect says be strong and very courageous, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

3. Preaching the centers people on the cross must be frequent. 2 Timothy 1:9-12
If our churches are ever to remain strong and effective, they must be all about the cross in both its saving and sanctifying work. Paul speaks of the Sovereign foundations of the cross in 1:9, the saving power of the cross in 1:10, and the sound assurance of salvation the cross brings in 1:11-12. Unless the cross is both the center and circumference of everything we do or think, then our message will drift and our places of worship will become nothing more than monuments of a bygone era. As a preacher, I need to preach the Gospel to myself everyday, for I find if I don't, I rely more on my righteousness than Christ's and more on my power than the Spirit's power. If such a reality is true for the preacher, what about those who are in the pew?

4. Preaching frequently equips churches to be effective in love and holiness. 2 Timothy 1:13-14
Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:13-14 "Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you." Notice the three words or phrases underlined in the text. First "retain". The word translated "retain" is from a verbal form and root that speaks of continuing to have or keeping hold of those things originally received.  To retain God's words is no doubt rooted in faith and the second underlined word, "love". How is it that preaching can ever affect God's people to retain love for God's word, one another and people around them?

Jesus told His disciples originally that the world will know they are his disciples by their love for one another. (John 13:35). Then notice the final underlined phrase in addition to "retain" and "love", namely "The Holy Spirit". Why is He called the "Holy Spirit"? Because His task is to make God's people holy. Jesus Himself has ordained that through the washing of the water of the Word that He presents to Himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle. (Ephesians 5:26-27) The Holy Spirit Who was sent by the Father in His name is preparing the church to meet her Lord by means of God-called preachers and teachers. (Ephesians 4:11-12). In a world that is unloving and unholy, the need of the hour is for preachers and a church that is loving and holy. If we are going to point the way to God - Jesus Christ, we must do it God's way. God would have it to be that in His church and among His preachers that they preach frequently, prayerfully, courageously and lovingly.

 Conclusion:
Today I have shared my heart as to why preaching more than once a week is a conviction for me and why it must be a conviction for both preachers and churches. We noted four reasons from 2 Timothy 1:4-14 as to why this must be the case. Preaching that is done frequently will yield:
1. Preachers who are on fire 1:4-6
2. Courageous churches    1:7-8
3. Cross-centered churches 1:9-12
4. Loving and Holy churches 1:13-14
 

Jesus demonstrates authority over the demonic realm

Luke 11:14 "And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed."

Acts 10:38 "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."

Introduction:
We find in the Gospel records many verses comprising nearly ten episodes of Jesus performing exorcisms on various people. Clearly such activity was a crucial part of Jesus' ministry. "Why?" Today's post will attempt to explore the texts in the Gospel records that record the instances of Jesus performing exorcisms and offer reasons behind why He did them:
1. Demonstration of His Authority
2. Deliverance from bondage
3. Declaration of the Gospel 
So why are the exorcisms recorded in the Gospel records so vital to understanding the ministry of Jesus Christ? Notice first of all that they....


Demonstrated His authority. Luke 11:14-20
After being accused of casting out demons by the authority of Beelzebul (i.e satan), Jesus Himself states in Luke 11:19 "But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." That phrase "finger of God" is found throughout the Old Testament and refers to the authority or judgment of God, Yahweh Himself. In Exodus 8:19 the Egyptian magicians told Pharaoh that the severity of the plagues was due to the "finger of God". In Exodus 31:19 and Deuteronomy 9:10 we see Yahweh inscribing upon the tablets of stone with His own finger - i.e the "finger of God". Clearly Jesus' statement in Luke is Him making a reference to His Divine authority.  Mind you Jesus is not merely saying He casts out demons with delegated authority as an emissary of Yahweh, rather He is asserting that He Himself does so as God in human flesh!

The reader must take note that until Jesus walked this earth, no recorded incident of exorcism had ever taken place in the Old Testament. Clearly the Son's incarnation into time and human flesh signified an alteration in both history and the cosmic realms. He evidenced Supreme authority in both the human and angelic realms - an authority that only God Himself can claim.

It is no wonder that in Matthew 4:24 that we see news spreading quickly about His authority over such beings. Matthew 8:16 tells us He cast out demons with just a word. In Matthew 8:29 and Mark 1:23-24 the demons thought it was the final judgment due to the fact that God in human flesh was taking authority over them as an act of judgment. We could cite several other scriptures but the point is made: Jesus cast out demons to demonstrate His authority. But notice secondly, Jesus cast out demons to affect deliverance from bondage. 

Deliverance from bondage. Luke 11:21-26
It was quite obvious that Jesus' exorcisms served to deliver people from bondage and tyranny of affliction. According to the NIV harmony of the Gospels, Jesus' statements here in Luke about the process of exorcism are similar to the separate event that occurred a year earlier and is recorded in Matthew 12:22-37 and Mark 3:20-30.1 The fact that Jesus came to deliver people from bondage is uncontestable in the New Testament.  Luke's rehearsal of Jesus' insight and experience of what takes place in an exorcism further substantiates Jesus' authority and comprehensive knowledge of how to defeat the kingdom of darkness in Luke 11:21-26. Other New Testament passages fill in the details regarding Jesus' mission in delivering people from bondage.


In Mark 9:17ff we see a lad afflicted with a spirit that needed casted out. Only Jesus' direct intervention could remedy the young man's plight. According to Mark 16:9 "Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons."  According to Matthew 8:16, Jesus at times could drive out a demon by a simple word from His lips. Peter states in Acts 10:38 "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."

This point is important in understanding part of why the Son became incarnate. Hebrews 2:14 and 1 John 3:8 both remind us that He came to destroy the Devil's works and to set people free from bondage to fear. According to Colossians 2:14-15, such activity by Jesus in His earthly ministry set a pattern for what He would accomplish on the cross by triumphing over the demonic realm. Jesus victory over the cosmic powers was part of the multifaceted reasons behind the meaning of His atoning work. The work of delivering people from bondage was necessary, being that Satan and his forces are ever at work blinding people to the truth. Only Christ through the power of the Gospel can break people free of physical, chemical, relational and any other sort of bondage that is influenced by the Kingdom of darkness. (Acts 26:18) So Jesus' exercise of authority over the demonic realm was done to demonstrate His authority, deliver people from bondage and thirdly...


Declare the Gospel. Luke 11:27-36
When you read Luke 11:27-36, you discover that in expelling demons from people, Jesus was going to follow up with the preaching of the Gospel. In fact the power of Christ in the Gospel alone can overtake the Kingdom of darkness. As we look at Jesus' exorcisms in Matthew 12, we see him using the same illustration of Jonah and the Great fish typifying His soon coming death, burial and  resurrection.


In the high profile exorcism of Mark 9:14-29, Jesus follows up with a prediction about His crucifixion. For Jesus, exorcisms were a means for preparing  the demonized victim (and culture) to hear the scriptures.  Exorcism, if ever having to be done, should never be done without sharing the Gospel. Demonized people represent the most extreme form of demonic opposition to the Kingdom of God.  Yet in Acts 16:14-21 following Paul's expulsion of a demon from a servant girl, he ends up sharing the Gospel in prison, demonstrating the point that when opposition arises, whether human or otherwise, share the Gospel!




Conclusion:

Today we explored why Jesus did exorcisms. Such acts were a major part of His overall ministry. We identified three primary reasons: demonstration of His authority, deliverance of people from bondage and declaration of the Gospel.


Endnotes:
1. Robert L. Thomas and Stanley N. Gundry. The NIV Harmony of the Gospels. Page 83 and 141.
Evidently the incident recorded in Matthew and Mark occurred in Galilee and the episode in Luke took place in and around Jerusalem.

3 arguments for Midtribulationalism & 5 arguments for Pretribulationalism

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Note: The opening diagram for today's post is found at the following link: www.sunriseonline.ca/sermons/future_imperfect.html

Introduction and Review:
Yesterday we first considered five arguments for a posttribulational rapture. We then followed by proposing five pretribulational counter arguments and an additional five pretribulational arguments that demonstrate why the Bible favors the rapture of the church occurring prior to the tribulation period. In today's post we will follow a similar format in exploring the midtribulational viewpoint in comparison to the pretribulational viewpoint. 

Briefly describing the midtribulational viewpoint
A conservative Bible believing scholar, Gleason L. Archer, describes his midtribulational viewpoint: "It simply regards the first three and a half years, during which the antiChrist will increase his power and mount his persecution against the church, as a lesser tribulation, not nearly as terrifying or destructive of life as those fearsome plagues that will dominate the last three and a half years.  In other words, the interpretation makes a clear division between the first half as the period of the wrath of man, and the second half as the period of the wrath of God." 1 The chart below summarizes this view and derives from the site: christiankonnections.com

With the viewpoint briefly defined, we will lay out three main arguments that one could propose for the position, followed by three pretribulational counterarguments and two additional pretribribulational arguments that demonstrate why the church will not experience the tribulation period at all. 

Three arguments used by midtribulationalists to bolster their view
1. The tribulation period, referred to as Daniel's seventieth week in Daniel 9:26-27, is immediately further defined as being divisible into two periods of 3 1/2 years each.  Daniel 12:11 states: "From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days (i.e 3 1/2 years)." All viewpoints of the rapture agree that the AntiChrist's blasphemy against God will escalate and begin midway through the tribulation period. Thus it stands to reason that the church would be raptured shortly before that event occurs, as indicated in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4.

2. Jesus makes the same distinction about the second half of the tribulation period, calling it "The Great Tribulation" as indicated in Matthew 24:21.  According to midtribulationalists, Jesus speaks about the rapture in Matthew 24:31, closing out His particular discussion on the period of time leading up to His second coming. 

3. When we read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 in light of Daniel 9:26-27; 12:11 and Matthew 24:21-31, it would seem then that the rapture will occur in the middle of the future seven year tribulation period. Furthermore, God's Divine Wrath does not officially begin until the second half of the seven year tribulation period, as seen in its sudden escalation and intensity in the judgment sequences of Revelation 6-19. 

Three pretribulational counterarguments to the midtribulational rapture position
1. Though it is true that Daniel 12:11 and even Jesus Himself indicate the second half of the tribulation being worse than the first half, the rapture event itself is never presented as having any definitive signs that can pinpoint its occurrence. Furthermore, the prophecies of Daniel are referring to God's dealings with the nation of Israel in the tribulation, and nothing whatsoever is said about the church, since it would not be revealed until the New Testament.

2. The weakness of the Midtribulational argument is the same as the Postribulational position on Matthew 24 - namely assuming that the rapture is being referred to by Jesus.  Again the elect being gathered from the four winds in Matthew 24:31 are being gathered by angels and fit the context of Jewish believers being raised at the time of Christ's second advent as marking the tail end of the sequence of events in the resurrection of the righteous. (see Daniel 12:1-2)   Rapture passages such as John 14:1-3 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 have Jesus himself gathering the church saints unto himself, marking an earlier stage in the overall sequence of events that is the resurrection of the righteous. 

3. To distinguish between man's wrath and the Anti-Christ's wrath in the first half of the tribulation versus seeing Divine wrath only in the second half is saying too much. Paul Feinberg, a pretribulational scholar, has pointed out that when Christ began breaking the seals of the scroll in Revelation 6, that began the sequence of events of God's wrath covering the whole seven year tribulation period. Feinberg's point is what began convincing this blogger that a pretribulational scenario, rather than a postribulational ordering was the preferred interpretive method.  Such an argument can likewise be used to critique the midtribulational point of view.2

Two additional pretribulational arguments in light of the above discussion
1. For midtribulationalism to be true, we have to contend with the fact that people are still getting saved even past the mid-way point of the tribulation period.  Why would Christ take church saints but not those other saints? It appears then that the church being raptured out prior to the tribulation avoids such confusion.





2. Let the reader consider 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 as well as the often discussed 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11 speaks of the tribulation period and the revealing of Anti-Christ. In 2:12-17 we see Paul switching gears to comfort his readers with the truth of their "gaining the glory of Jesus Christ" in 2:12. What does that tell you? That Paul is most likely referring back to his remarks in his prior letter of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, where he spoke to them in similar terms about the rapture.  The rapture event is treated separately from the discussion of AntiChrist in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 because that actually is Paul's whole point: the Thessalonians had not missed it and furthermore would not have to be concerned about going through the tribulation.


Endnotes: 

1. Stanley N. Gundry, Series Editor., Gleason L. Archer Jr., general editor. Three Views on the Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post tribulation. Zondervan. 1996. Page 139.  

2. To read Feinberg's complete argument for pretribulationalism, see his essay "The case for the pretribulation rapture position in the book:
Stanley N. Gundry, Series Editor., Gleason L. Archer Jr., general editor. Three Views on the Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post tribulation. Zondervan. 1996. Pages 45-86. 

Feinberg's remark to which I am referring to in the post is found on page 62 of his essay.  Well worth the read!