True Or False

The pre-tribulation rapture teaching that we hear about so often, is it biblical or not?  Most everyone that claims to be a true born-again believer, or even a non-believer, has more than likely heard of the “Late Great Plant Earth” books and the “Left Behind” movie and books which were very popular in the 70’s, also “The Thief in the Night” books, but were these true representatives of the word of God?  In other words, would you have come to this conclusion if you just read God’s word in its contextual form with no other outside influence?    

Take for instance one of the verses the pre-tribulation folks use is in Matthew 24:40-42, “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. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” 

Now read what is says also in some prior verses in that same chapter 38-39, “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, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

When you put all these verses together in Matthew 24:38-42, Jesus is relating to the days of Noah, where the unrighteous were taken away; not snatched away or caught up, they were taken away.  And why were they taken away?  They were taken away for judgement and Noah and his family were the only ones left behind, so in this context you want to be left behind.  There are numerous verses that they use for their case, but as far as I can tell none of them can be backed up in scripture if you use the scriptures they use in the right context.

They talk about the pre-trib rapture teaching in 2 Thessalonians and Revelations and other places, but I don’t think that any of them can be backed up if you understand them in the context they were meant to be used in.  I think that some of the reason for the confusion is that this teaching of the pre-trib rapture was so widely advertised and pushed.   Many, many books were sold, and one or more of them were best sellers and at least one movie was produced and maybe more.  And why was it so popular and so easy to believe?  It was because that’s what many people wanted to hear; that the Lord would return before the tribulation, so they and their families and loved ones would not have to suffer, if they were still alive at the time.  But, what about what Paul said, “if anyone lives a godly life, they will be persecuted.”  And, it is very sad to say there were others that heard this from someone they really trusted.

What about what Jesus said about tribulation, He said, “in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.”  Now think about this; there have been so many predictions through the years about when this pre-trib rapture would take place, but it never happened.  Why?  Do you think that maybe that is why the word of God says this in 2 Timothy 2:14-16, “Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.”   

From my understanding this teaching began in 1830.  A pastor named Darby started preaching about it.  Then from there, another Bible writer got a hold of it and put it in one of the Bible’s he wrote, and we are still talking about it in our day.  

Now instead of me trying to explain all the other verses about the pre-trib teachings and not covering all the bases, so to speak, please do me, and yourself, a huge favor and look up Dr. Michael Brown and Professor Craig Keener on YouTube talking about the pre-trib rapture and listen to what they have to say about it and how they came up with their conclusions on a post-trib rapture; they could explain it far better than I could.  I think if you listen with an open mind, you will gain some real insight and be very challenged, if you hold to a pre-tribe rapture teaching.  If you are seeking truth, check these two men out; you can give them your best arguments and they will politely answer any questions you may have about the pre-trib rapture teaching or anything else you may want to know about the word of God and they will do their best to biblically answer them for you.

My prayer is that this Tidbit will be an encouragement and a help to you.  May the good Lord bless you and yours with His perfect peace, love and joy and health and happiness and may all of you have a super, super day!