The Mid-Tribulational and Pre-wrath Rapture – Matthew 24:42

Jan 17, 2015 | Eschatology

 

  1. What do we mean by “the Tribulation?” (The seven years period of God’s wrath poured out on earth).
  2. What group of people does the Tribulation primarily concern? (Israel).
  3. What is the primary purpose of the Tribulation? (To prepare Israel for the Messiah).
    1. Isn’t the Tribulation also designed to purify God’s churches? (No).
  4. What New Testament book most clearly speaks about the Tribulation? (Revelation).
    1. At what point in that book do we begin to read about the Tribulation (Chapter 6 and the opening of the seals).
    2. Where in that book do we find reference to God’s churches? (Chapters 1-3 and 22:16).
    3. Does that book give us any reason to think that God’s churches will be in the Tribulation? (No.)
  5. What are the five major areas of thought in regard to the relationship of the rapture to the Tribulation? (Pre-Trib., Post-Trib., Mid-Trib., Mixed-Trib [Partial Rapture] and the Pre-wrath Rapture).
  6. What is the primary tenant of the Mid-trib’er in regard to the saints of God? (The saints will be caught up in the middle of the Tribulation).
  7. Do Post-trib’ers and Mid-trib’ers share any of the same opinions about the rapture? (Many).
  8. How do Mid-trib’ers and others use Peter (John 21:15-19) to argue against the Pre-trib rapture? (Peter was told that he would die a martyr’s death, indicating that the rapture couldn’t take place during his life).
  9. How do Mid-trib’ers and others use Paul (Acts 22:21) to argue against the Pre-trib rapture? (Paul was told that he would have an extensive preaching ministry, meaning that the rapture couldn’t happen immediately).
  10. Does “imminency” mean the same thing as “momentarily”?
  11. Does the Bible teach the momentary return of the Lord? (No).
  12. Did Paul preach and teach the imminent return of Christ? (Yes).
  13. Did Peter preach that the saints should look for the Saviour? (Yes).
  14. What is the primary argument of the Mid-trib’ers that the rapture will take place at the middle of the Tribulation? (The “last trump”of I Cor. 15 and I Thess. 4 is the 7th trumpet of Rev.11:15-19).
  15. What are some of the arguments that the “last trump” is not the 7th trumpet? (One is the trump of God and the other the trump of an angel; the trump in the epistles isn’t one of a series; the trump in I Thess. is short while the trump of Revelation continues for some time; and the related events: resurrection, death, earthquakes, joy are entirely different).
  16. How does Matthew 24:29-31 militate against the Mid-trib argument? (That trumpet is at the end of the Tribulation).
  17. According to Revelation what twelve events must take place before the 7th trump of Revelation 11:15? (The opening of the seals and the pouring out of the vials – Rev. 6-11).
  18. What takes place with the opening of the seven seals? (Conquest, war, famine, death, martyrdom, and various natural disasters).
  19. What takes place with the blowing of the first six trumpets? ( Hail, fire and blood; sea turned to blood; poisoned fresh water; astrological disasters; scorpion locusts; death of a third of humanity).
  20. Are today’s saints of God told to watch for, or to fear these things? (No).
  21. According to its creator, Marvin Rosenthal, when will the pre-wrath rapture take place? (Three quarters of the way through Daniel’s 70th week – after the “Beginning of Sorrows,” and the “Great Tribulation,” but before the wrath of the “Day of the Lord”).
  22. Is there much difference between the Mid-trib’er and the Pre-wrath’er? (Not much).
  23. Do, or do not, the events which take place with the seals and the trumpets sound aspects of God’s wrath?
  24. Why should we call those events something other than God’s wrath?
  25. Where in the scriptures are New Testament saints told to expect, or look for, these things? (We aren’t).