One of the most popular teachings on Biblical prophecy concerns the theory that the Church is about to be removed from the earth just preceding a time of intense judgment of the remaining inhabitants of the world by God. This theory is called the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church. Many popular Christian writers on the subject maintain this view. We would like to submit that this view, though possible, is improbable and has little Scriptural support. We will explain our position.

The question is not whether there is a predicted "rapture" or not. The New Testament clearly speaks of a time when the saints will be "caught up", transformed, or changed as they meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4.13-17). The question that we must consider is when this rapture will occur.

John associated the sounding of the last or seventh trumpet with the coming of Messiah Jesus to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth.

Jesus taught concerning the gathering of the elect, "But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other" (Matthew 24.29-31). Paul said that the transformation (often referred to as the rapture) will occur at the time of the "last trumpet": "Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable and we shall be changed" (1 Corinthians 15.51-52). John associated the sounding of the last or seventh trumpet with the coming of Messiah Jesus to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth: "And the seventh angel sounded, and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever'" (Revelation 11.15). In his second letter to the believers at Thessalonica, Paul treated the coming of the Lord and our gathering together to Him as a single event equated with the "day of the Lord": "Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come" (2 Thessalonians 2.1-2). Here, then, we have the explicit statements of Jesus, Paul, and John on the subject of the "rapture". All three agree as to the timing of this event. Notice, in particular, that there is no indication at all of a secret coming of the Lord to "catch away" the Church.

How and when did the concept of a "secret coming of the Lord to catch away the Church" get introduced into Christian thought?

This concept of the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church was first uttered by a lady by the name of Margaret MacDonald as a prophecy.

The earliest date that we can find when this concept was introduced was about 1830 in the midst of a revival that occurred in Scotland. In this revival, the participants believed that the gifts of the Holy Spirit had been restored. They were experiencing phenomenons like healings, tongues, interpretations, and prophecies. I would like to recommend a book by Dave MacPherson called The Incredible Cover-Up (Logos International, Plainfield, NJ, 1975). Mr. MacPherson researched this issue in great detail and published his findings in the above referenced book. His conclusion was that this concept of the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church was first uttered by a lady by the name of Margaret MacDonald as a prophecy. The revival and this prophecy spread to a church in London led by Edward Irving. Following Irving was John Nelson Darby who was responsible for propagating the doctrine in a much wider circle. Darby's teaching became incorporated into the Scofield Reference Bible (1909). In the 20th century, the teaching has become, in turn, so widespread and accepted that almost every evangelical/charismatic writer and teacher has embraced the viewpoint. Probably the most influential book expounding this doctrine is The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey (Zondervan Publishing House, 1970). Today this concept is taught as "Biblical fact" without question.

The question remains, however, is this concept derived from an honest appraisal of Scriptures like those cited above or is it based on a "post-Biblical" revelation which occurred early in the 19th century? The answer should be obvious to all.

The effect of this doctrine is to lull the believer to sleep just at the time when he could be the most effective.

The doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church is important because of its effect on the believer. According to this theory, the Church will be raptured out of the world before the coming great tribulation. Therefore, the believer concludes that his activities relative to these coming events are inconsequential. Why should he concern himself with such questions as his witness in these last days, with understanding the purpose of Israel's ingathering and his role alongside her in these events, or with the nature of the manifestation of the anti-Christ government that is predicted to be coming upon the earth? None of these things carry much significance because he believes that he is about to be taken out of the world just prior to the manifestation of these things. The effect of this doctrine, then, is to lull the believer to sleep just at the time when he could and should be the most effective. The concept is comparable to imagining that Moses went ahead to Mt. Sinai and waited for Israel just before the final plague — the death of the newborn — was visited upon Egypt prior to the exodus. Moses was God's instrument of judgment at that critical juncture in history and Israel and the true believers are and will be God's instrument in the coming final confrontation which leads up to the coming of the Lord.

My exhortation, therefore, is for you to study this article, check out the references cited, and see if the theory of the "pre-tribulation rapture" is worth sacrificing your effectiveness in God's purpose at this crucial stage of history. I believe that an honest, scholarly consideration of this issue will cause you to reject this theory.