Is the Pre-Trib Rapture Real? Origins of the Pre-Trib Rapture Theory

[Todd the Mut]

Christians will be here during the great tribulation. The pre-trib rapture theory is a western concept that was devised in the 1800s (see below). The Bible clearly shows that during the great tribulation, Christians and Jews are going to be martyred.

Paul went so far as to say that the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ would not happen until there is a great falling away and the antichrist, man of sin, son of perdition be revealed.

Christians in Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries, (some non Muslims countries too) think the rapture theory is a joke. Actually, they know that the western church is deceived. They die for their faith this very day. For a Muslim to convert to Christianity, or a Christian try to lead a Muslim to Christ, it is a death sentence, in Muslim Sharia law.

Coptic Christians in Egypt are so persuaded that tribulation is coming, they tattoo a cross on the inside of their right wrist so that they will not be able to deny the Lord that bought them, in the worst moments of torture.

2Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come the falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

If you think Christians will escape tribulation, even though Christ talked about a multitude in Revelations, that "loved not their lives unto death" then I suggest you visit this website: Persecution.com

It was a soothsayer, a false prophet, that came up with the rapture theory (see below).

Christians on earth at the time of His coming will be changed in a twinkling of the eye, not raptured. Saints in heaven already will come with Christ and will join the saints on the earth.

Unfortunately, many will withdraw from Christ and become bitter, when they figure out there will not be a rapture.

The Origin of the Pretribulation Rapture Teaching (1)

Whenever a Christian encounters a doctrine that has not been taught by anyone in any branch of Christ's church for over eighteen centuries, one should be very suspect of that teaching. This fact in and of itself does not prove that the new teaching is false. But, it should definitely raise one's suspicions, for if something is taught in Scripture, it is not unreasonable to expect at least a few theologians and exegetes to have discovered it before.

The teaching of a secret pretribulation rapture is a doctrine that never existed before 1830. Did the pretribulation rapture come into existence by a careful exegesis of Scripture? No. The first person to teach the doctrine was a young woman named Margaret Macdonald. Margaret was not a theologian or Bible expositor but was a prophetess in the Irvingite sect (the Catholic Apostolic Church). Christian journalist Dave MacPherson has written a book on the subject of the origin of the pre-tribulation rapture. He writes: "We have seen that a young Scottish lassie named Margaret Macdonald had a private revelation in Port Glasgow, Scotland, in the early part of 1830 that a select group of Christians would be caught up to meet Christ in the air before the days of Antichrist. An eye-and-ear witness, Robert Norton M.D., preserved her handwritten account of her pre-trib rapture revelation in two of his books, and said it was the first time anyone ever split the second coming into two distinct parts or stages. His writings, along with much other Catholic Apostolic Church literature, have been hidden many decades from the mainstream of Evangelical thought and only recently surfaced. Margaret's views were well-known to those who visited her home, among them John Darby of the Brethren. Within a few months her distinctive prophetic outlook was mirrored in the September, 1830 issue of The Morning Watch and the early Brethren assembly at Plymouth, England. Early disciples of the pre-trib interpretation often called it a new doctrine."

John Nelson Darby (1800-1882), who was the leader of the Brethren movement and the "father of modern Dispensationalism, " took Margaret Macdonald's new teaching on the rapture, made some changes (she taught a partial rapture of believers while he taught that all believers would be raptured) and incorporated it into his Dispensational understanding of Scripture and prophecy. Darby would spend the rest of his life speaking, writing and traveling, spreading the new rapture theory. The Plymouth Brethren openly admitted and were even proud of the fact that among their teachings were totally new ones which had never been taught by the church fathers, medieval scholastics, Protestant Reformers or the many commentators.

The person most responsible for the rather widespread acceptance of Pretribulationalism and Dispensationalism among Evangelicals is Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (1843-1921). C. I. Scofield published his Scofield Reference Bible in 1909. This Bible, which espoused the doctrines of Darby in its notes, became very popular in Fundamentalist circles. In the minds of many a Bible teacher, fundamentalist pastor and multitudes of professing Christians, Scofield's notes were practically equated with the word of God itself. If a person did not adhere to the Dispensational, Pretribulational scheme he or she would almost automatically be labeled a modernist.

Today there is a whole plethora of books advocating the pretribulation rapture theory and the Dispensational understanding of the end times. Given the fact that among professing Christians the pre-trib rapture is still wildly popular, a comparison of this theory with scriptural teaching is warranted. We will see that the typical arguments offered in favor of this theory are in conflict with the Bible.

Take some time to watch these two videos. I believe they set forth a proper understanding of the last-day events.

The Syrian Antichrist Part 1

The Syrian Antichrist Part 2

In Christ,

Todd

P.S. Learn more about the end-times at my website:

http://www.ToddSumrall.com

(1)Dave MacPherson, The Incredible Cover-Up: The True Story of the Pre-Trib Rapture (Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1975), p. 93. The following scholars are cited by MacPherson who agree with MacPherson's contention that pre-tribulationism is a fairly modern doctrine that originated in or around 1830: Samuel P. Tregelles, Alexander Reese, Floyd E. Hamilton, Oswald T. Allis, D. H. Kromminga, George E. Ladd and J. Barton Payne. MacPherson also cites several Dispensational, pre-trib scholars who admit that the pre-trib theory is in fact a new doctrine: W. E. Blackstone, H. A. Ironside, Charles C. Ryrie, Gerald B. Stanton and John F. Walvoord.

[wordsower]

I used to believe that until I actually prayed about it and asked God to please present the truth of the matter to me clearly.

Couple of days later I was invited to a church study on the 10 virgins.

Condensed: All were invited, all were somewhat ready, some went, some stayed.

Luke says, Pray that you be counted worthy to escape the tribulation coming on the earth.

I believe some christians will be left behind and endure to the end and still be saved in the millineum. I believe some will be accounted worthy to escape.

Just as Enoch and Elijah were the only two taken up, I don't think it will be that many.

[Guest]

I used to believe that until I actually prayed about it and asked God to please present the truth of the matter to me clearly.

Couple of days later I was invited to a church study on the 10 virgins.

Condensed: All were invited, all were somewhat ready, some went, some stayed.

Luke says, Pray that you be counted worthy to escape the tribulation coming on the earth.

I believe some Christians will be left behind and endure to the end and still be saved in the millennium. I believe some will be accounted worthy to escape.

Just as Enoch and Elijah were the only two taken up, I don't think it will be that many.

Whoa!

What fun!

I surly believe in the Pre-tribulation rapture, my Pop who died (beat me home to Heaven!) today believed in the pan-a-Tribulation Rapture, it will all pan out!

I did agree with Dad, God will call us up when it's in His timing.

Love, Joe.

[eric]

Well as I have said before and will say again, It's better to be ready for the tribulation and be surprised and caught up in the rapture, that being ready for the rapture and be surprised and find yourself caught in the tribulation. Be ready...be ready....be ready.

[Arash_the_archer]

I dont remember who here exactly, but it was someone that didnt belive in the rapture. He had also studied theology, learned how to read scripture and all. He said that rapture belivers are mostly tv preachers that didnt study religion at university level.

Think wath you want, really dont listen to anyone else than yourself. Thats why we have the bible.

[Vickilynn]

Well as I have said before and will say again, It's better to be ready for the tribulation and be surprised and caught up in the rapture, that being ready for the rapture and be surprised and find yourself caught in the tribulation. Be ready...be ready....be ready.

Shalom,

As we say in our home... Be prepared for the worst, and pray for the best!!

[gypc]

Well as I have said before and will say again, It's better to be ready for the tribulation and be surprised and caught up in the rapture, that being ready for the rapture and be surprised and find yourself caught in the tribulation. Be ready...be ready....be ready.

Shalom,

As we say in our home... Be prepared for the worst, and pray for the best!!

Amen

[Todd the Mut]

Fall Feasts and the Wedding Feast

Christ To Complete The Last Four Feasts

Understanding that the end-times events revolve around Israel and not the Church is crucial to understanding end-times prophecy. For so long the western church has been lulled to sleep with the idea that the church will not be on this earth during the great tribulation. This false understanding is primarily due to the fact that we don't understand the significance of Israel as God's time clock in these last days. Once you see the Jewish perspective on prophecy, the end-times events start really making sense.

The rise of the antichrist is about the only major prophecy that needs to be fulfilled before the return of Christ.

I ask everybody, if Jesus fulfilled the first 4 feast to-the-day

What makes you think he will not fulfill the last 3 to-the-day?

Spring Feast Fulfilled:

The Spring feasts clearly reveal the first coming of Yeshua our Mashiach (Jesus Christ):

Rosh Chodashim - The Biblical New Year

Passover

Edited April 20, 2007 by Todd the Mut

[Christian]

Brother Todd,

Thank you for your post. It is so refreshing to hear the "Scriptural" truth spoken in regards to this subject. Truly the burden of proof is upon those who choose to believe this "pre-trib" fable merely based upon unsound (false) teaching, and the two or three verses they continually use out of context to make their case.

Pre-trib rapture is not "taught" to us in the Scriptures anywhere, unlike everything else is that we find so clearly taught to us repetitively in the Bible.

The pre-tibulation rapture is unscriptural, fosters complacency about future persecution, and undermines the main mission of the church to fulfill the Great Commission.

Brother eric said it well...

It's better to be ready for the tribulation and be surprised and caught up in the rapture,

than to be ready for the rapture and be surprised and find yourself caught in the tribulation.

Be ready...be ready....be ready .

Jesus Himself, in one conversation, told us multiple times that there would be one resurrection, making His point VERY clear on the subject !!!

John 6:39This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

John 6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

John 6:44No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

This does not allow for "multiple" resurrections, and thereby negates any claim by pre-tribbers to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 being a rapture "proof".

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

(16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;(17) then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

It can only be wishful thinking and the twisting of the Lord's very teaching that would permit one to deny this clear example.

Wake up brothers and sisters,

in Christ's love,

Christian

[Floatingaxe]

Brother Todd,

Thank you for your post. It is so refreshing to hear the "Scriptural" truth spoken in regards to this subject. Truly the burden of proof is upon those who choose to believe this "pre-trib" fable merely based upon unsound (false) teaching, and the two or three verses they continually use out of context to make their case.

Pre-trib rapture is not "taught" to us in the Scriptures anywhere, unlike everything else is that we find so clearly taught to us repetitively in the Bible.

The pre-tibulation rapture is unscriptural, fosters complacency about future persecution, and undermines the main mission of the church to fulfill the Great Commission.

Brother eric said it well...

It's better to be ready for the tribulation and be surprised and caught up in the rapture,

than to be ready for the rapture and be surprised and find yourself caught in the tribulation.

Be ready...be ready....be ready .

Jesus Himself, in one conversation, told us multiple times that there would be one resurrection, making His point VERY clear on the subject !!!

John 6:39This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

John 6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

John 6:44No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

This does not allow for "multiple" resurrections, and thereby negates any claim by pre-tribbers to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 being a rapture "proof".

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

(16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;(17) then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

It can only be wishful thinking and the twisting of the Lord's very teaching that would permit one to deny this clear example.

Wake up brothers and sisters,

in Christ's love,

Christian

What multiple resurrections? When the Lord catches the Church away, that's it. That's the last day for us.