Answers To Critics Of The Pre-Tribulation (Part1 - Part3)

Details of the Rapture

1. The Lord himself will descend to the clouds in mid air
2. He will shout as He comes but only those who will be raptured can hear him
3. We will hear the voice of the Archangel and the last trumpet call of God for the Church and the Church age ends at this point.
4. In an atomic second, demised saints will have their spirits (from heaven) and their bodies (even scattered remains in this world) reunited, resurrected, translated and raptured to meet Christ in mid-air
5. Following the same twinkling of an eye, believer will be translated and raptured to join Christ and the saints who had gone before them
6. There will be mid-air monumental reunion in the clouds
7. That's when Jesus reconciles us to Himself and accompanies us to Heaven where we shall always be with Him

little background:

1. Church goers who missed the rapture will get serious with God
2. Age of lawlessness
- 144,000 Jews sealed by God
- 2 groups of believers killed during Great Tribulation
1. Martyred saints (Rev 6:9-11)
2. Tribulation saints (Rev 7:9-10, 13-14)


The 18 objections to the Pre-tribulation position

1. No way in the bible is there a single verse that explicitly state that the Rapture will take place before the Great Tribulation

2. If all Christians are raptured, then who will Anti-Christ persecuting?
- not all church goer will be raptured
- those left behind will be serious and fervent Christian
a) Left behind Christians
b) Jews
c) Opposer not in line with Anti-Christ
d) Political enemies
e) People who are against Anti-Christ
f) Unfortunate innocent victims

3. Didn't Jesus say that in this world there will be persecution? (John 16:33)
- different degree of suffering and persecution
- not referring to the Great Tribulation

4. Jesus' prayer in John 17:15 indicates that we have to go through the Great Tribulation
- John 17: 1-5 (Jesus prayed for Himself)
- John 17: 6-19 (early disciples)
- John 17:20 - 20-26 (all disciples of all time)

5. If early Christians had to suffer much persecution, why should we be exempted from the Great Tribulation?
- early Christians were not suffering from the Great Tribulation

6. Suffering during the Great Tribulation will purify Christians
- we are purified by the Word of God (John 17:17)
- reason why Thessalonians were serving faithfully

7.If millions of Christians are simultaneously raptured all over the world, how can the rapture be secret?
- 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

8. If all Christians are rapture who will continue to evangelize the lost world?
- John 9:4
- Revelation 7:1-4
- Revelation 11:3-6
- Revelation 14:6-7

9. Isn't it obvious that Christ comes at the 6th seal and that's at the end of Great Tribulation?
- Revelation 6:12-17

10. At the Rapture, the last trumpet will sound and that corresponds with the 7th trumpet of the Great Tribulation?
- Revelation 11:15
- 1 Corinthians 15:52

11. Even God's elect have to go through the Great Tribulation, and if we are exempted, are we more special than them?
- Matthew 24:15-22

12. Matthew 24:29-31, clearly states that the rapture will take place after the Great Tribulation.

13. Pre-tribbers are advocating a convenient Gospel in which Christians are exempted from any suffering and persecution.
- in any ages, Christians have been persecuted
- Matthew 10:23
- Jesus doesn't glorify in persecution

14. Most great preachers like Moody, Finney, Spurgeon and many others are post tribbers
- their statements were mis-quoted out of context

15. How can there be more than 1 rapture?
- the raptures recorded in the bible
a) Enoch (Gen 5:24, Heb 11:5)
b) Elijah (2 King 2:1)
c) Jesus (Acts 1:9)
d) Church (1 Thess 4:15-17)
e) 144,000 Jewish evangelist (Rev 14:1-5)
f) 2 witnesses (Rev 11:7-8, Rev 11:11-12)
g) Tribulation rapture (Matt 24:29-31)

16. 2 Thess 2:1-4 clearly states that the Rapture cannot take place before the Anti-Christ comes
- the anti-Christ must in the temple

17. The Pre-tribulation position is a recent erroneous teaching, which originated from an unreliable source
- all positions are relatively recent teachings

18. Pre-tribbers are deceiving believers causing them to be unprepared for the Great Tribulation
- no way to be prepared for the great tribulation

What and how to get prepared?

1. Be ready (Matt 24:44)
2. Be watchful (Matt25:13)
3. Be on your guard (Luke 21:34-36)
4. Be together (Heb 10:25)
5. Be faithful (Luke 12:42-44)
6. Be expecting his return (Heb 9:28)

Conclusion

Rev 22:20-21