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Appendix Two
The Rapture of Believers
Believers
Shall Be Caught Up When Christ Comes Again.
It
is clearly recorded in the Scriptures that when the Lord Jesus comes again all
believers of the Lord, no matter who have fallen asleep or those who live on the
earth, shall be caught up to see the Lord (1Thess. 4:16-17). It is a blessed
hope for believers. And such hope makes us endure the life on the earth
(1Thess. 1:3; 2Thess. 1:4-10). Therefore, we shall have right knowledge about
the rapture of believers so as to obtain right attitude of life and right
result.
Three
Different Kinds of Views upon the Rapture of Believers
It is generally admitted that
believers shall be caught up when the Lord comes again. However, concerning the
specific time of the rapture, there are four different views: 1)
Pre-tribulation Rapture; 2) Mid-tribulation Rapture; 3) Post-tribulation
Rapture; 4) Partial Rapture. Since both “Mid-tribulation Rapture” and
“Post-tribulation Rapture” confess that believers will experience the Tribulation,
both of them can be regarded as the same one. Therefore, it will be generally
divided into three kinds of views, and each of them is upheld by many famous
spiritual giants respectively.
1.
Pre-tribulation
Rapture: J.N. Darby, C.I. Scofield, D.L. Moody, R.A. Torrey, William Kelly,
J.H. Brookes, J.M. Fray, J.A. Seiss etc.
2.
Post-tribulation
Rapture: George Mueller, R.W. Newton, A.J. Gordon, A.B. Simpson, Dr. Erdman,
Prof. Moorhead, H.W. Frost etc.
3.
Partial
Rapture: Hudson Taylor, R.C. Chapman, Robert Govett, D.M. Panton, G.H. Pember,
Austin Sparks, Watchman Nee etc.
Seeing
from the above-mentioned names, all of them are of great attainments in
Biblical research. Therefore, we need not choose according to the reputation of
anyone or traditional views.
Faults
of the Pre-tribulation Rapture
Traditionally,
the majority of Christians believe Pre-tribulation Rapture. It is right that
“some” believers will be caught before the Tribulation. However, it is rather
arbitrary to claim that “all” believers will be caught up before the
Tribulation, for many scriptures are contradictory to such view. Now here is an
attempt to point out the improper points therein:
1.
The
Lord Jesus has clearly mentioned “one is taken and the other is left” when he
comes (Matt. 24:40-41). But the supporters of this school say that: 1) here the
prophecy aims at the Jews, not Christians; 2) if it is applied on Christians,
it will be the false believers that are left.
2.
The
Lord only promises to the church in
3.
The
evil bondman (Matt. 24:48-51) and the foolish virgin (Matt. 25:3, 11-13) and
the servant who had received one talent (Matt. 25:24-30) that the Lord Jesus
has mentioned are all explained as false believers, as if the Lord who calls
them “servants” and “virgins” is deceived by them.
4.
It
is promised in the Scriptures that Christians are delivered from the coming
wrath (1Thess. 1:10), for God has not set us for wrath (1Thess. 5:9). And the
wrath here is interpreted in this school as the Tribulation (2Thess. 1:6-10).
In fact, the reasonable explanation shall be the deliverance from the wrath and
penalty the unbelievers shall suffer.
5.
It
is said in this school that there is no mention of the church any more after
the third chapter in the Book of
Revelation and therefore the whole believers have already been caught up
unto the heaven. However, in the Book of
Revelation, it is clearly mentioned those who are clothed with white robes
and have washed their robes and come of the great tribulation (Rev. 7:13-14) as
well as those saints who keep the faith of Jesus in the Tribulation (Rev.
14:12). Are they all believers who have just repented and been saved in
Tribulations? Are these believers not a part of the church?
6.
It
is explained in this school that the twenty-four elders the Book of Revelation (Rev. 4:4, 10) are the representative of
the whole church. And the Tribulation starts after chapter six, so the whole
believers will not suffer the Tribulation. However, if the twenty-four elders
really represent the whole church, there will cause many doubts: 1) it is the
angels that were firstly created in the universe, not believers. How can
Christians become elders above the angels? 2) Why does it not mention that the
white garments the elders are clothed with are washed by the blood of the lamb
(Rev. 4:4; see 7:14)? 3) The elders take the golden bowls full of incense (Rev.
5:8). Why does the church not pray of herself but bring the prayers to God for
others? 4) The apostle John says “my lord” to one elder (Rev. 7:14). In the
church of the New Testament, who is greater? John? Or the elder? 5) Why is the
song that the elders sing not the song of redemption, but the song of creation
(Rev. 4:11)? As far as the song of redemption in chapter five is concerned, it
is sung for others (Rev. 5:9-10; it is “them” not “us”).
7.
They
believe that it is the Jews instead of the Gentiles that will suffer the
impending Tribulations (Jer. 30:6-7; Dan. 12:1) according to the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Daniel. If it is so, why
does it also mention “the trial which is about to come upon the whole habitable
world”? Therefore, it goes against the principle that “it is again written”
(Matt. 4:7).
8.
The
Tribulation will not start until the man of sin appears. If the one who hinders
is not removed, the man of sin will not be revealed (2Thess. 2:3, 7-8). It is
said in this school that the one who restrains is the church and the Spirit who
works in the church. Therefore, the man of sin will not reveal and the
Tribulation will not come until the church is caught up and the Spirit leaves.
If it is so, there will be no preachment of the gospel or the inspiration of
the Spirit. Why does it say that some of them are saved in the Tribulation?
Those who are of this school also mention that the Spirit is removed
temporarily in order to support their views.
9.
“The
day of the Lord comes as a thief by night” (1Thess. 5:2). It is believed that
it is the sudden disaster comes to those who do not believe (1Thess. 5:2-4).
However, to believers, the coming of the Lord is the hope worthy of mutual
comfort (1Thess. 4:18) and is the day of brightness. We need not expect it in
fear. If it is do, why are we believers exhorted to “watch and be sober”
(1Thess. 5:6)? Believers will always be caught up, and at least they will not
receive the reward and not reign with the Lord.
10.
Some
cases of the rapture in the Old Testament are mentioned in this school. All of
them typify the Pre-tribulation Rapture of the church, e.g. Enoch represented
the rapture of the church before the flood sent by God. The house of Noah
represented the remnant of the Jews would be kept after the Tribulation. Lot
was saved before the fire sent by God to destroy
Faults
of the Post-tribulation Rapture
Possibly, it is
not wrong that “some” Christians or even the “majority” of the Christians will
be caught up after the Tribulation. However, it sounds farfetched that “all”
Christians will be caught up after the Tribulation. Here, the faults therein
are presented:
1.
“I
will keep you out of the hour of trial which is about to come upon the whole
habitable world to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10). It is held
in this school that the word “keep” here is “reservation”, not “deliverance
from…”. If it is so, the Lord Jesus also uses the same word to pray for those
who are of Him: “that you should keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). And
here, it will be thus explained as “may you reserve them in the power of
darkness”. However, such view is contradictory with the verse “He has delivered
us from the power of darkness” (Col. 1:13). Therefore, there are obvious flaws
of such pedantic interpretation.
2.
They
quote the verses “through many tribulations, we must enter into the
3.
According
to the record of the Book of Acts, it
is believed in this school that the Lord will be in the heaven until “the
restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21). That is to say, He shall come to build
the
4.
It
is believed in this school according to the
Book of Psalms (Ps. 110:1) that Christ will not leave the throne at the
right hand of God the Father until His enemies are annulled. That is to say,
Christ will not come from the heaven to the earth until the Tribulation ceases.
If it is right, only when Satan is bound and cast into the lake of fire after the
kingdom of one thousand years can Christ come upon the earth. Obviously, such
quotation of the Scriptures for the purpose of proving one’s own viewpoints
only brings contradictions.
5.
Many
Scriptures are quoted in this school to prove the hope of Christians is the
glorious revelation of Christ, namely, the reigning of Christ in His second
coming. At that time, we believers will obtain the blessings we hope for (1Cor.
1:7-8; 1Tim. 6:14-16; 2Tim. 4:8; Titus 2:13; 1Pet. 1:7, 13; 4:13). Moreover,
they also infer that Christ will reveal after the Tribulation, so believers
will also be caught up to receive the blessings of hope after the Tribulation.
Thus, the second coming of Christ, the rapture of believers and believers’
obtaining the blessings of hope will happen at the same time, dismissing the
Pre-tribulation Rapture. Actually, the blessings of hope that believers will
obtain are a series of hopes at different times, including the blessing of
being delivered from the Tribulation, the blessing of being transfigured, the
blessing of reigning with the Lord for one thousand years, the blessing of
being delivered from the second death, the blessing of taking part in the feast
of the marriage of the Lamb, the blessing of eternity etc. This is the trouble
that they even equate one general verse with another verse presumptuous. Such
inference is rather dangerous and insignificant. In addition, there is an
important principle of the interpretation of the Bible. We have to interpret
one scripture and research the truth according to the integral and sound views
of the whole Scriptures, not the literal meaning (the same meaning as the
phrase “own particular interpretation” 2Pet. 1:20) of the scriptures.
6.
It
is also inferred in this school according to the parable of wheat and darnel
(Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43) in the Gospel of
Matthew that the will of God is the true believers and false believers
exist together until the completion of the age. That is to say, the Lord will
ripe and divide them after the Tribulation. However, it is only able to prove
that the believers who are alive will experience the Tribulation, but unable to
deny that the overcomers will be caught up before the Tribulation. Those who
support the “Pre-tribulation Rapture” believe that this parable is related to
the kingdom of the heavens, not the church. Actually, the kingdom of the
heavens and the church are two sides of one body. The teachings of both of
them. If they must be differentiated clearly, most of the teachings in the
Gospels will be improper to be applied on Christians.
7.
The
description in the First Epistle to the
Thessalonians is also quoted: when believers are caught up “with an
assembling shout, with archangel’s voice and with trump of God” (1Thess.
4:16-17). Therefore, it is inferred that believers are caught up in public, not
secretly. The supporters of the “Pre-tribulation Rapture” quote the verse in the First Epistle to the Corinthians
that believers are caught up “in an instant, in twinkling of an eye” (1Cor.
15:52). The moment when men in the world have realized what has happened,
believers’ rapture has already become history. Therefore, it is still secret.
Both the schools of Pre-tribulation Rapture and Post-tribulation Rapture have
made the same mistake of catching one certain verse to prove their respective
views and failing to give a sound explanation. In fact, some believers are
caught up secretly and some are in public. The
First Epistle to the Thessalonians refers to the public rapture, and the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians
refers to the secret rapture.
8.
If
all believers who still live (the whole assembly) shall be caught up after the
Tribulation, the biblical teachings of watching and being sober will turn
meaningless, for what we wait for is the Tribulation, not blessings, and what
we rely on is not the Lord, but the antichrist. And it is not late to wait for
the Lord even at the end of the three years and a half of the Tribulation.
Likewise, if the whole church is caught up before the Tribulation according to
the views of the Pre-tribulation Rapture, why should we watch and be sober
since believers’ spiritual condition of preparation has nothing to do with the
rapture. Let us eat and drink, for no matter Pre-tribulation Rapture or
Post-tribulation Rapture, believers are treated with without distinction. Why
should we be nervous vainly? This is the wrong view upon the rapture, which
brings wrong attitudes to common believers.
The
Evenhanded View ---- Partial Rapture
Since the whole church shall
neither be caught up before the Tribulation nor after the Tribulation, the
relatively just and fair view is supposed to be the Partial Rapture, which
gives reasonable and sound accounts according to the Scriptures. That is to
say, reasonable explanations for different scriptures are presented in this
school, and are corresponding to the purpose of the warnings and exhortations
concerning the second coming of Christ and the rapture in the Bible. Here the
general outlines of “the Partial Rapture” are presented as below:
1.
Before
the Tribulation, those who overcome among the living believers will firstly be
caught up (Matt. 24:39-41; Rev. 12:5; 14:1-5).
2.
During
the Tribulation, those who have become mature in succession, and who overcome
and who die for the faith among the living believers will then be caught up
(Rev. 7:9-14).
3.
At
the end of the Tribulation, the Lord reveals in public and all the living
believers are mature and thus caught up (Rev. 14:14-16; 1Thess. 4:16-17; 1Cor.
15:51-52).
Pre-tribulation
Rapture
According to the Scriptures,
there is indeed the rapture before the Tribulation, but it is only some
believers, not the whole church. The main points of the Pre-tribulation Rapture
are listed as follows:
1.
The
time of rapture: before the Tribulation ---- “keep you out of the hour of trial,
which is about to the come upon the whole habitable world, to try them that
dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10).
2.
Those
who are caught up:
a.
Believers
who watch and are ready ---- “watch therefore, and pray always that you may be
counted worthy of escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand
before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36); “watch … be ready” (Matt. 24:40-44; Luke
12:35-40); “watch and be sober” (1Thess. 5:1-6).
b.
Believers
who stand firm and keep the truth of faith ---- “keep the word of the Lord’s
patience” (Rev. 3:10); “he that overcomes and keeps the Lord’s works unto the
end” (Rev. 2:26-27); “to obtaining of glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, so …
stand firm and hold fast the instructions which you have been taught…” (2Thess.
2:14-15).
c.
Believers
who are strong and holy ---- “and she brought forth a male son, who shall
shepherd all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and
to His throne” (Rev. 12:5); “and in their mouth was found no deceit, for they
are without fault before the throne of God” (Rev. 14:5).
d.
Believers
who desire and wait for the Lord ---- “love his appearing” (2Tim. 4:7-8);
“await the Lord Jesus Christ from the heavens” (Phil. 3:13-14, 20).
3.
The
conditions of the rapture:
a.
“Know
not” (Matt. 24:39), “in that hour that you think not” (Matt. 24:44);
b.
When
believers work, or live or rest ---- “in the field … grind in the mill” (Matt.
24:40-41); “in bed” (Luke 17:34-35);
4.
Where
believers are caught up: “the
Mid-tribulation
and Post-tribulation Rapture
According
to the Scriptures, there are indeed many believers that will be caught up after
the Tribulation, but not the whole church. The main points of the
Post-tribulation Rapture are presented as below:
1.
The
time of rapture:
a.
“At
the last trumpet” (see 1Cor. 15:52; 1Thess. 4:16); namely, when the seventh
trumpet is sounded at the end of the Tribulation (Rev. 8:2; 10:7; 11:14-18);
b.
“The
man of sin has been revealed, the son of perdition” (2Thess. 2:1-4), namely, at
the end of the Tribulation;
2.
Those
who are caught:
a.
Those
who are of God ---- “the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are
alive and remain shall be caught up together” (1Thess. 4:16-17; 1Cor.
15:51-52);
b.
Those
who are of God ---- “the harvest of the earth is dried… was reaped” (Rev.
14:14-16);
c.
Those
who bear witness to the Lord in the Tribulation ---- “who come out of the great
tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14); “two prophets (witnesses)…went up to the heaven in the
cloud ” (Rev. 11:12, see 3-4); “those who keep the commandments of God and hole
the testimony of Jesus” (Rev. 12:17; 14:12); “those who had gained the victory
over the beast, and over its image, and over the number of its name, standing
upon the glass sea” (Rev. 15:2); (note that they may be partially caught up
during the Tribulation)
3.
The
conditions of the rapture:
a.
Those
who have fallen asleep shall firstly be raised up and then caught up (1Thess.
4:16);
b.
Those
who are alive may be dried by the Tribulation, namely, their life has become
mature (Rev. 14:15);
4.
Where
believers are caught up: in the clouds in the air ---- “be caught up in the
cloud to meet the Lord in the air” (1Thess. 4:17; see Rev. 14:14).
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou