Tribulation, Wrath, All of The Above or None of The Above
An End Times Guide to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Theory
We live in perilous times. There is a lot happening now and it’s right in our faces. Only someone who’s blind, physically or willfully, can’t see it. Further, there are many people today who call themselves Christians who simply are not ready for what's coming because they believe in a theory called the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine. I say this very seriously because this is not one of those doctrines that we can just sit around and debate without consequence.
I would argue that the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine is a wrong. As a matter of fact, I believe that it could very well be the “Strong Delusion” spoken of in scripture that will grip many who call themselves believers in the last days and cause them to fall away from the faith. The reason for worry here is this, if you hold the pre-tribulation rapture “theory,” it can or worse yet, will leave you unprepared for what's ahead and not ready to endure to The End. Now there's a lot to this theory. And let’s be clear, this is a theory!
For anyone reading who may not be familiar, the people who hold to the pre-tribulation rapture theory believe that before the Great Tribulation starts, “Yehovah” (God’s actual name) is going to snatch away or “Rapture” up his bride, a.k.a., the church, and they will go to heaven to escape the hell on earth that is the wrath of God. It's easy to understand why people who believe in this theory feel they don't need to pay attention to what's going on in the world or even worry about it because they have been taught that no matter what, simply because they believe in Jesus, they are going to be removed off this earth before the Great Tribulation begins.
One main point that many who believe in the pre-tribulation Rapture tenaciously hold to is that the scriptures clearly say is this: “we are not appointed to wrath!” And here's the thing, that’s true! But Jesus a.k.a. Yeshua also said that we would have tribulation too. So how can both be true? I think the reason for the big mix up is that the Pre-Tribbers equate the Great Tribulation to the Wrath of God. I can’t say this strongly enough, I think the evidence is more than sufficient to support the idea that the great tribulation and Yehovah’s wrath are not the same thing. But, that’s another substack article for another day. Today I want to focus on why I think so many pre-tribbers believe they’re gonna escape the tribulation altogether and why that thinking is dangerous.
“Yeshua” (Jesus’ real Hebrew name) had to say a lot about the end times and it's important that what he said is understood. So let’s take a look at what I believe is one of the most misunderstood parables that Yeshua taught and that is the parable of the wheat and the tears found in Matthew chapter 13:24-30.
24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
But later in that same chapter in verses 36-43, when Yeshua explains that parable is where it gets good:
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” 37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
So this is an important Parable for many reasons but, I want to highlight a point that people seem to be misunderstanding and arguably, are getting completely backwards.
Let's focus on the tares. They are, for lack of a better way to say it, the counterfeit versions of the good seed that Yeshua planted. They look like wheat at first glance. But they are not wheat. They occupy space and take up valuable resources that might otherwise be beneficial to the health of the wheat but they are of no value to the land owner a.k.a. the Kingdom of God in or of themselves. It’s only at the harvest that the difference between the wheat and the tares becomes clearly evident.
Now understand that the question that needs to be asked and answered here as it pertains to the parable in it’s relationship to rapture theory is this, is who is gathered first? Who is taken out of the field? Who is taken out of the world? Who is gathered first at the end of the age at the Harvest. He told His servants to let the wheat and the tares grow together, remember? But, at the time of the Harvest which is the end of the age he will then say to the Reapers: “first gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them! It’s the tares, the sons of the wicked are gathered first, not the wheat, not the righteous! Remember that!
Another part of “The Day of the Lord” is the second coming of Messiah. We need to understand the second coming of Yeshua because this part of the prophecy is so twisted up today. His second coming is also spoken of as the day of the Lord and it will come as a thief in the night. We can read about this in Luke 21:25-28.
25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
So the coming of Yeshua will be a big day and there will be signs in the sun moon and stars and if you understand the prophecy from the Old Testament you'll know that this is just a continuation of the day of the Lord prophesied of in Joel. Yeshua will be coming in a cloud with power and Glory as John says in the first chapter of revelation 1:7.
“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”
Like when he ascended into heaven in the first chapter of Acts 1:911.
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
This is how he has prophesied to come in reference to this time as well as how we are commanded to keep watch in Luke 21:34-36.
34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
So, he warns us not to get bogged down with the cares of this life so that his day does not come on us unexpectedly and we're not ready for it. About that day, in Matthew 24:36-39 he says:
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Messiah really has made it so clear for us, but we have let Satan infiltrate our churches and bring massive confusion. So let's be clear and ask ourselves, in the days of Noah who was taken? Was it the righteous or was it the wicked? It was clearly the wicked who were taken away and Yeshua said that his day will be as the days of Noah! He even went so far as to explain how people were before the flood came. He said they did not know the flood was even coming. So, who knew? Noah did! He was preparing for the flood to come and take away all the wicked. He said “His day” would be the same. If you go back to Matthew 24:39, He says they did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So also will the coming of the son of man!
It really could not be any clearer. In Matthew 24:42-44 He says he will come as a thief.
42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
This was why Paul warned in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4:
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
2 Peter 3:10 says:
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be [d]burned up.
Also, Yeshua warned the dead Church In Revelation 3:3
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
This is a lot of scripture to show you that the second coming of Yeshua, which is also known as the day of the Lord, will come as a thief in the night. But, the thing that must be understood is that it will not come this way for all. It will only come as a thief in the night for the wicked and for those who are not watching. As our Lord said in Matthew 24:45-51:
45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food [i]in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying [j]his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I hope I am not losing you with all these scriptures I'm trying to explain this thoroughly so there is no confusion and that no one could ever say that I did not explain this without scripture. Yes, He is coming as a thief, but he is not taking the righteous, he is taking away the wicked just as in the days of Noah! Please understand that in the days of Noah the righteous were preserved and remained. It was the wicked that were taken and that is how he told us it would be in the last days.
So going full circle back to the parable of the wheat and tears. If you remember that's how I started this, let's go back to who is gathered first at the end of the age, at the Harvest. do you remember he let the wheat and tears grow together, but at the time of the Harvest, which is the end of the age, he said he will say to the reapers: “first gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them.” The answer to the question is, the sons of the wicked are gathered first! He is not plucking out the righteous! He is plucking out the Wicked. This is what he said he would do first and this must be understood.
So, let's go to this scripture that is widely used and very much misunderstood in Matthew 24:37-42.
37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what [g]hour your Lord is coming.
Remember, verse 40 and 41 say: “then two men will be in the field one will be taken and the other left two women will be grinding at the Mill one will be taken and the other left” These are the verses used by people to justify the Rapture of the righteous into heaven. But, after we went through all that explanation, it should be very clear how false that actually is. He spoke about this day as the days of Noah and people would be taken. Unfortunately, the doctrines of men have made the majority think that those who are being taken and plucked out are the Blessed ones, but it is those who are being gathered for judgement who are being taken!
In other words, you do not want to be plucked off this Earth! You Want to inherit this Earth and be left to reap in all the blessings Yahweh has for us. The promise for those in Messiah, the meek, is that they will inherit this earth. Bible prophecy is thorough and clear. If he made a parable about the wheat and the tares growing at the same time and prophesied that he will pluck out and gather “the tares” (the wicked) first. There should not be any confusion about this. He said the wheat and tares will grow together until the end of the age.
He's not plucking us off the earth to bring us to heaven ahead of anyone else and I think it's important that everyone understands this. I know that many people often ask well what does it mean in 1 Thessalonians 5 when he says we're going to meet messiah in the air? What does that mean? It means YES, we will meet him in the air, but we will NOT be whisked off to heaven to watch the tribulation from the mezzanine section of the hear after. We will meet him in the same manner that royalty was greeted whenever they entered a city at the time of Yeshua’s first coming. In those days, it was common for the elders, leaders and dignitaries of a city to go out to greet a royal visitor and escort them into the city. We will meet Yeshua this same way at his return. As he approaches this earth, we will be gathered up to meet him in the clouds. That is the rapture! Then we will escort the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the rest of the way down to the earth in a royal procession.
As we go throughout the whole Bible, escaping tribulation is not what he promised to his children. He promised to restore his people and then the land. Then both Jew and gentile believers will reign with Messiah. Later, He will execute judgment on those whose names are not found in the Book of Life. Those who belong to him will see a new Heaven and a new Earth and a New Jerusalem come down from heaven and we will live in peace with Him in the New Jerusalem. He is not taking us to Heaven to escape, He is preserving us for the promises He made to His children. Understand this, rest in Yahweh, wait patiently for him and prepare to endure until he returns.
He did not make create this earth just so that he can take us to heaven! Instead, it is his intent to bring Heaven down here to earth. His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. It’s very important that we understand these things.
I personally speak as one who at one time believed in a pre-tribulation rapture. So, I understand how and why so many still cling to this theory. As one who made this mistake, I am now trying to tell others how to remedy it and the answer is simple. Read your Bibles from the beginning and truly learn about Yahweh and his ways. Learn about his will, what he has done before and what he has prophesied to do again. Get to know him personally and live your life in dedication to doing his will. Pray to be counted worthy to escape his wrath and not be gathered with the wicked to be burned. Pray not to leave the earth but to be one of the one’s who will inherit it. Pray to be a citizen of the Kingdom. Nothing else in this life matters.