Rapture before the Wrath of God – The Cochin Lampstand

Overview

To help determine the point during the 70th Week of Daniel the prophet at which the initial, primary Rapture event will occur, it first is helpful to determine the points at which other events are known or presumed to occur.

The topics below are mostly in order but they do not form a timeline of sorts.

Abomination that Causes Desolation

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, His disciples came to Him and asked Him what would be the sign of His Second Coming and of the “end of the age.” Jesus responded with a lengthy series of answers (Matthew 24:4-31) which, I believe, explain events that will take place from the beginning of the 70th Week to the point during that final seven-year period when the primary Rapture event (the first phase of His Second Coming) will occur. This event will take place shortly after the opening of the Sixth Seal of the heavenly scroll, depicted in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 6:12-17), as viewed and described by the apostle John. (See also my three-part commentary, The Chronology of Revelation.)

In the midst of Jesus’ response to His disciples is a very significant statement: “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel…” (Matthew 24:15). Jesus was referring to words written by the Old Testament prophet Daniel, via a prophecy given to Daniel by the angel Gabriel. The event to which Jesus’ statement refers will take place within the 70th Week of years. In considering this self-evident axiom, it can be seen in Daniel 9:27bc that it is in the middle or midst of the 70th Week when sacrifice and offering will be put to an end, and also when the abomination of desolation will be set up at the “holy place,” as Jesus called it.

Most have considered this “holy place” to be the Third Temple. This “temple” also was mentioned by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and by John in Revelation 11:1. However, in these specific verses, a more precise translation of that word, from the Greek, is “shrine.” The Islamic Dome of the Rock is a shrine, and it very likely stands where the first two temples stood. Although the Dome of the Rock certainly would not be considered by the true God to be a holy building, the place where it stands on the Temple Mount still would be a holy place to God, as it has been for millennia. Perhaps, then, the “abomination” will be set up in the Islamic Dome of the Rock, which stands on ground that is holy to God (see third temple).

There has been a great deal of speculation as to what will constitute the “abomination that causes desolation.” Some have suggested that this abomination of desolation could be something taking place in the temple, should one be built, which is revolting to orthodox Jews, such as the setting up of an idol and/or the sacrificing of a pig. However, in case no Third Temple is constructed, then this idea would seem not to be very likely.

Furthermore, there is a past precedent of performing sacrifice and offering with no temple standing. Even before the foundation of the Second Temple had been laid in Jerusalem, burnt offerings were sacrificed on an altar built for this purpose (Ezra 3:1-6). Thus, future sacrifices and offerings, and the cessation thereof, would not necessarily require another man-made temple in which to occur.

Now, Daniel pointed out that rebellion, presumably against God and His commands, can cause desolation (Daniel 8:12,13). Paul said that once the rebellion or apostasy occurs, the man of lawlessness (Antichrist) will be revealed 2 Thessalonians 2:3. One of the hallmarks of this man will be that he will rebel against God’s laws and commands and will deceive and persecute others into doing the same.

So according to 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4, the “man of lawlessness” will “set himself up in God’s temple [or shrine]” and proclaim himself to be God. Jesus indicated that the “abomination” would be “standing in the holy place” (Matthew 24:15).

Here is Daniel 9:27 from the Orthodox Jewish Bible:

And he shall confirm brit [covenant] with rabbim [the many] for one heptad [week of seven years]; and in the midst of the heptad he shall cause the zevach [sacrifice] and the minchah [gift offering] to cease, and on the kenaf [wing or overspreading] of the abominations is one making desolate, even until the complete destruction, a destruction that is decreed, shall be poured out upon the Shomem [Desolator, Destroyer]. (Daniel 9:27—OJB).

Taken altogether, these three verses may indicate that the Antichrist, himself, is the “abomination” who will “set himself up,” who will be “standing in the holy place,” and who will be the “one making desolate.” That is, this “man of lawlessness”—the “Desolator” or “Destroyer”—may himself be the one who “causes desolation” or “makes desolate” and for whom complete destruction, ultimately, has been decreed (at the Battle of Armageddon). Thus, it may be that Jesus warned those in Judea, in the middle of the 70th Week, that when they see this man standing in the “holy place,” to flee as soon as possible (Matthew 24:16).

The “abominations” (Daniel 9:27—OJB) may include the public proclamation, at the “holy place,” by the Antichrist (“the first beast”) that he is “God,” as well as his blasphemy of the True God and the heavenly host (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:5,6). Furthermore, he might state emphatically that Jesus is not the Son of God, an abominable tenet expressed clearly in the Qur’an (Maryam: 35, 92).

Perhaps there also will be an abominable idol erected, similar to the one that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; the idol honored the king, and a command was given to worship the idol (Daniel 3:1-7). This would seem to correspond with the “image,” set up by by the False Prophet (“the second beast”), to honor the first beast and to be worshiped (Revelation 13:14,15). Interestingly, the dimensions (height, width, and depth) of King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol were 60 cubits x 6 cubits x 6 cubits, or “666.”

According to Luke, Jesus noted, “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near” (Luke 21:20). It would seem, then, that whatever happens at that time, there may be some type of military involvement, either attempting to keep the peace or else triggering, or even causing, the ensuing desolation.

The Restrainer

This brings us to who the restrainer is.

2 Thessalonians 2:7 (NKJV) For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
Daniel 12:1 (NKJV) “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.

I believe that the one who restrains is the Holy Spirit, not the Angel Michael. The Angel Michael is assigned to the Jews, but this is talking about the whole of humanity.

Great Tribulation

After mentioning the abomination that causes desolation, recall that Jesus added, “For then there will be great distress [or great tribulation], unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again” (Matthew 24:21; Daniel 12:1b). In many versions of the Bible, “great distress” is translated “great tribulation.” The abomination that causes desolation will be set up in the “midst” of the 70th Week, and the Great Tribulation will begin at about the same time as well. Then I feel that the Fourth and Fifth Seal events will ensue (Revelation 6:7-11).

I leave open the possibility, however, that all seven seals will be opened after the onset of the Great Tribulation, during the the second half of the 70th Week. It may be that John’s vision of the rider on the white horse—“a conqueror bent on conquest”—who is seen after the First Seal is opened (Revelation 6:1,2), is the revealing of the man of lawlessness described by Paul (1 Thessalonians 2:3-6).

Just prior to the onset of the Great Tribulation, Satan and his angels will be expelled permanently from heaven (Revelation 12:7-9), and he will be filled with fury (12:12c). He will pursue “the woman” and, in a rage, will make war against those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus (12:13,17). The persecution and deaths of many of these will be apparent after the Fifth Seal has been opened (6:9).

Through the Antichrist, Satan will carry out his wrath upon the earth during the Great Tribulation. When the Antichrist is revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3), he will set up the abomination that causes desolation in a “holy place” (Matthew 24:15)—not necessarily a structure holy to Jews or Christians—presumably in Jerusalem. Then he will utter blasphemies and exercise his authority—over every tribe, people, language and nation—for 42 months (Revelation 13:5-7) or 1,260 days, the duration of which those who have fled Judea into a mountain wilderness will be protected by God (Matthew 24:16; Revelation 12:6).

During the Great Tribulation, as much as a quarter of the world will be killed, or maybe a quarter of the world’s area will be affected by death from several causes (Revelation 6:7,8). Amazing counterfeit satanic miracles, signs and wonders, which will deceive multitudes of people, will occur (2 Thessalonians 2:9,10; Revelation 13:13,14). The mark of the beast will be taken by those who wish to buy and sell anything (Revelation 13:16-18)—although its acceptance of the mark by anyone, evidently, will doom that person to extreme suffering (Revelation 16:2) and even permanent damnation (14:9-11).

There is only one other place in the New Testament where the term “great tribulation” is seen, and that is in Revelation 7:14. The label of “tribulation” is found in the annotated Bible notes of some “Pre-Tribulation” Rapture advocates, such as C. I. Scofield and Grant Jeffrey. As such, even though I agree that the term “tribulation” (implying “distress”) is an apt description of the overall atmosphere and mood of the 70th Week, its use as a substitutionary name for that final period of seven years is not scriptural.

However, “Great Tribulation” is an applicable name for the period beginning at the onset of the final 3½ years of this age. Jesus indicated that those days of great distress (or great tribulation) will be “cut short,” for the sake of the elect (Matthew 24:21,22). The event that will shorten the days of the Great Tribulation, for true believers, will be the opening of the Sixth Seal

Cosmic Disturbances: Sixth Seal

Jesus referred to the “great distress” or “great tribulation,” which will begin in the “midst” of the 70th Week. Then he described that at some point thereafter, there will be an extremely eerie time “immediately after the distress of those days” when a great earthquake will occur, the sun and moon will be darkened, the stars will seem to be falling from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24,25; Revelation 6:12,13). This prophecy parallels one by the Old Testament prophet, Joel, in which he described similar cosmic disturbances as happening just before the period of time known as the “day of the Lord” (Joel 2:30,31). In effect, God will “clothe the sky with darkness and make sackcloth its covering” (Isaiah 50:3)—I believe as a stark expression to humankind that there will be one last chance to repent before God begins to pour out His wrath upon the world.

Another Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, described these same cosmic disturbances (Isaiah 13:10). They are contained in a passage in which Isaiah claimed that the “day of the Lord”—described as “a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger”—would be coming. After describing the astonishing cosmic disturbances, he said that God would “punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins” and that the heavens would tremble and the earth would shake “at the wrath of the Lord Almighty in the day of his burning anger” (13:6-13). The prophet Amos wrote that the “day of the Lord” would be one of “darkness, not light” (Amos 5:18,20), which is in keeping with the fact that the sun and moon will have been darkened, just prior to that time. Furthermore, the fact that that that Sixth Seal events will be caused supernaturally and directly by God seems evident (Job 9:5-8,10).

Another self-evident axiom is that Jesus’ description of the cosmic disturbances, as well as everyone’s observation of it (Matthew 24:29,30; Mark 13:24,25), is paralleled in the Book of Revelation by John’s description of what will occur after the opening of the Sixth Seal (Revelation 6:12-17). Similarly to Joel’s prophecy, John indicated that the cosmic disturbances would occur just before the great “day of their wrath,” referring to the wrath of the Father and Son (the Lamb), which will take place at the beginning of the Day of the Lord. Even the Apostle Peter attested to this, adding that all who would call on the name of the Lord at that time would be saved (Acts 2:19-21)—I believe, via the Pre-Wrath Rapture.

There are those (such as many who embrace the “Pre-Tribulation” and “Post-Tribulation” Rapture views) who believe that the events of the Sixth Seal (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24,25; Revelation 6:12-17) will occur at the very end of the 70th Week. Thus, those of the “Pre-Tribulation” persuasion believe that Matthew 24:30,31 must be a picture of Jesus’ return to earth, while those of the “Post-Tribulation” persuasion believe that the same passage is a picture of the Rapture concurrent with Jesus’ return to earth. I disagree with these views, for the following reasons:

Matthew 24:30,31 says nothing about Jesus’ returning to earth, only about His appearance “on the clouds of the sky,” at which time “He will send His angels” to “gather His elect” to join Him (at the Rapture).
The Sixth Seal events will not occur at the very end of the 70th Week (see Sixth Seal and Seventh Bowl). Following the Sixth Seal, the events of the Seventh Seal will still have yet to transpire before Jesus returns to earth, at the end of the 70th Week. There simply is no way to wedge all of the Seventh Seal events, comprised mostly of the seven Trumpet Judgments, between Matthew 24:29 and 24:30. (Read The Chronology of Revelation for many more details regarding the chronology of the events about which John wrote in the Book of Revelation.)
Jesus stated,Immediately after the distress [or tribulation] of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken (Matthew 24:29).

The word “distress,” in some versions of the Bible, is translated “tribulation.” For many, “tribulation” is another name for the entire 70th Week (final 7-year period). Yet, there is nothing at all in the Bible assigning or equating the term “tribulation” with the 70th Week. The only portion of the 70th Week which aptly can be called a period of “great tribulation” is the period following the setting up of the abomination that causes desolation, which will occur at the beginning of the final 3½ years.

Rapture event

Here is Jesus’ description of what will happen simultaneous with or immediately following the cosmic disturbances of the Sixth Seal (as described by Jesus in Matthew 24:29; cf. Revelation 6:12,13):

At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other (Matthew 24:30,31).

This is a description of the Rapture event. The spirits/souls of those who previously have left their bodies, in death, will be gathered from wherever they are in heaven to be united with their new glorified, resurrected bodies. “The elect” who still are alive will be changed into glorified forms, joining those who have been resurrected to be caught up in the air to meet the Lord in the clouds.

The Rapture is the first phase in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and it will not be a “silent, hushed” phenomenon, as many in the “Pre-Trib” camp suppose. The people of the world will “see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30b). John gives us added information, in the Book of Revelation, as to what will happen when the nations of the world see Jesus, coming in the clouds on His throne:

Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!” (Revelation 6:15,16).

They will see the “face of Him who sits on the throne” as He comes in the clouds. Saved believers will be caught up to be with Jesus in the clouds. This same multitude of raptured believers will be seen standing in front of Jesus, seated on the same throne, soon thereafter in heaven (Revelation 7:9). The 144,000 Israelites, who will have witnessed the Rapture event, will become instant believers and immediately will be sealed for God’s service (7:1-8).

This is what Paul described, in quoting Hosea, about the victory associated with the Rapture:

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? (1 Corinthians 15:55).

The first part applies to the saved dead, over whom death has had a “victory”; but this victory will be destroyed when they are resurrected at the Rapture. The second part applies to the saved living at the Rapture, who never will experience the “sting” of death at all.

On the other hand, those who, up to that point, will have failed to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, will be “left behind” to be subjected to the imminent wrath of God about to come upon the earth:

For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:17).

The “great day of their wrath” is a direct reference to the initial segment (the “day of vengeance”) of the “Day of the Lord” period.

Pre-Wrath Rapture

The Prewrath rapture is one of several premillennial views on the end-times events among evangelical Christians, and states that Christians will be raptured at the end of a time called the Beginning of Sorrows that occurs in the first half of the seventieth week of the Prophecy of Seventy Weeks, and before the day of the Lord’s wrath (God’s wrath). The prewrath position emphasizes the biblical distinction between tribulation (which Christians have been promised) and the wrath of God (which Christians have been promised deliverance/salvation from).

According to the Prewrath perspective, the great tribulation begins 3.5 years after the Antichrist “makes a covenant with the many” (Daniel 9:27), in the middle of “Daniel’s 70th week.” The 70th week is a reference to Daniel 9:24, where each day of the week corresponds to a year (for a total of seven years). After the first 3.5 years, the Antichrist will make himself known with the abomination that causes desolation, and he will reign for 3.5 years (42 months or 1260 days). The latter half of the 3.5 years is characterized by the Antichrist deceiving the world and persecuting the church.

Although the exact timing of the rapture is not known, one of the key points to the Prewrath view is that the rapture comes after the sixth seal is opened (Revelation 6:12), when the moon is turned into blood. The tribulation of God’s people will then be cut short (according to Jesus in Matthew 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27) with the second coming of Christ and the rapture, and those who are left behind on Earth will face the trumpets and bowls of God’s wrath (Rev 16:1); hence the term “Prewrath.”

Daniel 9:27 (NKJV) Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

Revelation 6:12 (NKJV) I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.

Matthew 24:29-31 (NKJV) ²⁹ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Mark 13:24-27 (NKJV) ²⁴ “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; ²⁵ the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶ Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

Revelation 16:1 (NKJV) Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”

God’s wrath against the ungodly will follow for the remainder of the seven years in what is known as the Day of the Lord.

The pre-wrath position makes a very important distinction between the Antichrist’s great tribulation, which will be directed against God’s people, and the event of the day of the Lord’s wrath, which will be directed against the ungodly. The great tribulation will happen first, and at some unknown day and hour those days of persecution will be cut short with the return of Christ (Matt 24:22). The Lord will come down to the clouds to resurrect the dead-in-Christ and rapture together those believers who have survived up to the coming (parousia) of our Lord (1 Thess 4:15–17). Immediately after the rapture, the Lord’s wrath will begin to be executed against the ungodly, displayed in the systematic judgments of the trumpets, bowls, and the battle of Armageddon (Matt 24:29–31; 1 Thess 5:1–11; 2 Thess 1:5–12; Rev 8–9; 15–16).

Matthew 24:22 (NKJV) And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-28 (NKJV) 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. ⁵ You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶ Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. ⁸ But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. ¹¹ Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. ¹² And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. ¹⁴ Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. ¹⁵ See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not despise prophecies. ²¹ Test all things; hold fast what is good. ²² Abstain from every form of evil. ²³ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. ²⁵ Brethren, pray for us. ²⁶ Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. ²⁷ I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren. ²⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 (NKJV) ¹ Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³ We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, ⁴ so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, ⁵ which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; ⁶ since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, ⁷ and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, ⁸ in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, ¹⁰ when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. ¹¹ Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, ¹² that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the post-tribulational schema, God’s people immediately descend to earth after they were just caught up to the clouds in the rapture. The pre-wrath position, instead, affirms that after the rapture the Son will usher his redeemed people before the throne of the Father in heaven (John 14:2–3; 2 Cor 4:14; Rev 7:13–15; Isa 26:19–21). And only after the completion of the series of judgments on earth will God’s people then descend to earth in the New Jerusalem.

John 14:2-3 (NKJV) ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

2 Corinthians 4:14 (NKJV) knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.

Revelation 7:13-15 (NKJV) ¹³ Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” ¹⁴ And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.

Isaiah 26:19-21 (NKJV) ¹⁹ Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead. ²⁰ Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. ²¹ For behold, the LORD comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain.

Antichrist

It would seem that the man who will be the Antichrist will be a primary supporter of the prophesied covenant, involving Israel, that will commence the 70th Week. It is likely that, initially, his “face” to the world will be one of honesty, integrity, and sincerity.

Presumably, this man will be an advocate of peace, probably pressuring Israel to make concessions to the Palestinians. Becoming a well-known and popular figure for 3½ years, he evidently will rise to the zenith of power, amidst great turmoil and disorder, maybe even disasters and cataclysms, worldwide. At that time, his “beastly” qualities will be “revealed” to the world.

Paul noted that this “man of lawlessness” will be “revealed” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). This will be at the midpoint of the final seven years, when the Antichrist will walk into the “holy place” (Matthew 24:15) in Jerusalem and set up the abomination that causes desolation. He may be “lawless” in the sense that he will reject the Torah, the Law of God, in which is contained God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). Instead, he may insist that the law of the land is Sharia Law and that Israel should belong to those who have embraced Islam.

At that point, displaying his true character and temperament, he will begin to behave as a “beast,” will utter blasphemies against God, and will make war against the saints of God. He will oppress them for “a time, times and half a time”—that is, one year plus two years plus half a year (1 + 2 + ½ = 3½). This will be the final 3½ years (Daniel 7:25, 12:7), or 42 months = 1,260 days (Revelation 11:2,3, 13:5-7), of the 70th Week.

Great Tribulation

The latter half (3½ years) of the 70th Week will begin with the Great Tribulation period, which will be “cut short,” according to Jesus, “for the sake of the elect” because, otherwise, “no one would survive” (Matthew 24:22). The tumult of the cosmic disturbances: Sixth Seal will cut short the Great Tribulation, after which the Day of the Lord period will commence and, I feel, most likely will transpire for a span of about one year. The first segment of the Day of the Lord period will be the “day of vengeance.”

Day of Vengeance

The “day of vengeance” will commence with the opening of the Seventh Seal, initiating the seven Trumpet Judgments. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion’s cause” (Isaiah 34:8). In this passage, I believe that “a day of vengeance” refers to the initial segment of the longer “day of the Lord” period; and “a year of retribution” may indicate that this period will last for about a year (see The Seventh Year)—the seventh “day” of the seventh “week” of years of the 70th Week.

Isaiah also wrote, “For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come” (Isaiah 63:4). Here, the “day of vengeance” is equated to “the year of my redemption”—that is, the year during which God will take vengeance on unbelievers and during which believers will be redeemed, via the Pre-wrath Rapture.

Similar to this is another passage by Isaiah: “…to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God…” (Isaiah 61:2). In effect, this equates to a year of God’s vengeance taken upon most of the world, while the Lord’s favor will been given to believers, just prior to its beginning, at the Rapture. The “day of vengeance” will be the initial brief period (a year) of the overall Day of the Lord, which will encompass the Millennium, lasting a thousand years.

Much of God’s vengeance and wrath, during the “day of vengeance,” will be in response to slain believers’ having cried out to God during the persecution of the Fourth and Fifth Seals. He will avenge their blood, which will have been shed upon the earth, by judging mankind:

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:9,10).

Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no longer (Isaiah 26:20,21).

They have given the dead bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth. … Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name … Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants (Psalm 79:2,6,10).

Day of the Lord

Commonly, but I believe inappropriately, the entire 70th Week is referred to as the Day of the Lord. On the contrary, I have shown that, starting at the midpoint of the 70th Week, the following events—as a sequence of four axioms used as foundational blocks in demonstrating the timing of the Pre-Wrath Rapture event—will occur in chronological order, as follows:

The cessation of sacrifices and offerings in the midst of the 70th Week, then the abomination that causes desolation inside of a “holy place,” as described by Jesus, which will be standing in Jerusalem at that time (Daniel 9:27bc; Matthew 24:15);
The beginning of the Great Tribulation period;
The cosmic disturbances of the Sixth Seal, where the sun and moon will turn dark and the heavenlies will be shaken;
The Pre-Wrath Rapture of believers, and finally
The Day of the Lord, which will not merely one day in length but will be a period of time, beginning with the opening of the Seventh Seal.

The opening portion of the Day of the Lord—the “day of vengeance”—probably will last approximately a year (Isaiah 34:8, 61:2, 63:4), during which the devastating wrath of God will be poured out upon the earth. Just as the 70th Week is a “week” of seven years, I believe the final “day” of that “week” of years—the seventh year—most likely will be set apart from the rest of the week. It will be the first segment of the Day of the Lord period. The remainder, which will be the majority of the Day of the Lord, will be the Millennium, lasting a thousand years (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8; Revelation 20:2-7).

Interestingly, the apostle Peter, quoting the prophet Joel (Joel 2:31) in his reference to the Day of the Lord (Acts 2:20), changed one word in his description. Joel said that it would be “great and dreadful,” but Peter described it as “great and glorious.” Both were correct. The beginning of the Day of the Lord period will be dark, cruel, fierce, and dreadful. After that, however, that “day” will be bright, compassionate, gentle, and glorious (Isaiah 11:10). Just as a day, in Jewish tradition, begins with darkness (after sunset) and ends with light (after dawn), so the Day of the Lord will begin with a time of gloominess and despair and be transformed, after Jesus returns, into an era of illumination and enlightenment.

In Paul’s day, some of the Thessalonians had been given deceptive information, indicating that the “day of the Lord”—with which Paul associated “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered [raptured] to him” (2 Thessalonians 2:1,2)—already had come. Paul told the Thessalonians that the “day of the Lord” would not come until the man of lawlessness (Antichrist) would be “revealed” at the time that he “sets himself up in God’s temple [or shrine], proclaiming himself to be God” (2:3,4).

Second Coming

Jesus’ specific answer to His disciples’ inquiry about His future coming was that the nations would “see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory,” at which time angels will gather His elect to be with Him (Matthew 24:30,31). It is then that believers, both dead and alive, will experience deliverance via the Rapture. This will be Jesus’ return in the clouds, not His return to earth to rule and reign.

Many who embrace the idea of either a “Pre-Tribulation” or a “Post-Tribulation” Rapture event feel that the incidents described in Matthew 24:30,31 will take place at the very end of the 70th Week. However, I maintain that they will occur soon after the removal of the Sixth Seal from the heavenly scroll, which will not be at the end of the 70th Week but rather, most likely, about a year prior to the end (Isaiah 34:8, 61:2, 63:4—see The Seventh Year). The events of the Seventh Seal, the seven Trumpet Judgments, and the seven Bowl Judgments described by John will be yet to come (see Sixth Seal and Seventh Bowl).

In Revelation 6:16 is described how the world will see “the face of him who sits on the throne.” I believe that this is when the Pre-Wrath Rapture will take place. The Rapture will be the initial event in the Second Coming of Jesus. It will portend the imminent beginning of the Day of the Lord period (which will commence soon after the opening of the Seventh Seal). Jesus’ Second Coming will be completed when He returns physically to earth, at the end of the 70th Week, in association with the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet (11:15-17).

Jesus compared the first phase of His next (second) coming to the time of Noah and the ark (Matthew 24:37-41). At that time, Noah was saved by entering the ark, but the flood took away all those who had no idea that the flood was coming. At the Rapture, the saved will be taken (caught up), while the lost will be left behind to be swept away by the “flood” of God’s wrath.

Jesus used the Hebrew word airo to indicate how the flood “took away” the lost people in Noah’s time; whereas, He used the word paralambano to describe how the saved people in the future will be “taken.” While airo implies to “take up” or to “take away” (with a negative connotation), paralambano means to “take alongside” (in a positive context, occurring also in Matthew 1:24, 2:14, and 20:17).

Thus, it seems evident that the multitude comprising the elect, taken at the initial appearance or coming of the Son of Man in the clouds (Matthew 24:30,31), will be saved individuals, caught up in the Rapture to be alongside Jesus. On the other hand, those remaining, at least up to that point, will be unbelievers and/or scorners who will be left to face the terrifying Day of the Lord judgments.

Mid-Tribulation Rapture

There are many who have embraced the idea of a “Mid-Tribulation” Rapture, believing that it will take place in the midst of the 70th Week, just prior to the beginning of the Great Tribulation. The idea is that the Great Tribulation is a period of supernatural wrath upon the earth, and that Christians will be protected from it.

Although I believe that God’s wrath will not be imminent until after the opening of the Sixth Seal, and will not begin until after the opening of the Seventh Seal (probably a year prior to the end of the 70th Week), it is true that Satan’s fury, rage, and wrath (Revelation 12:12,17) will be in effect during the Great Tribulation. Therefore, I do acknowledge the plausibility of a “Mid-Tribulation” Rapture, whereby some believers would be protected from Satan’s wrath.

In Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), it is widely accepted that all of the ten virgins are saved believers. However, only five wise virgins, who have brought their “oil” with them, will get to go with the Bridegroom when He comes the first time. Interestingly, the Bridegroom comes at “midnight” (25:6), which perhaps could indicate that He will come midway through the dark “tribulation” period (that is, the 70th Week) and supernaturally change those who have had an intimate relationship with Jesus. Then He will take them away to be with Him.

It may be that the five wise virgins, who have the “oil” of the Holy Spirit, are those who have recognized and acknowledged the importance of the five books of the Torah or God’s Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy)—in particular, the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 24:7), which consists of Exodus 20-23. If so, the five foolish virgins may be familiar with Jesus and His teachings but not “know” Him intimately.

Jesus said that He was the fulfillment of the Law or Torah (Matthew 5:17). Thus, although many know of the Torah, most have “discarded” it as irrelevant, thereby unknowingly breaking fellowship with the Bridegroom, who is the physical manifestation and model of the Torah. They will not have deemed it important to keep all of the commandments, feasts, festivals, and holy days that He did. If so, when the Bridegroom comes, maybe the foolish virgins, who are told to go buy their “oil” (that is, to go learn about and pay attention to the Torah, especially the Book of the Covenant) will be caught away at the next main Rapture event, after the opening of the Sixth Seal, at which time they also will be “known” by the Bridegroom.

Maybe the “son” in Revelation 12:5, who will “rule all the nations with an iron scepter,” will consist of overcoming believers in Jesus (2:26,27), who have been grafted into “the woman” (Israel)—the personification of the Torah and the focal point of God’s new covenant. If so, these particular believers may be “snatched up to God and His throne” (12:5), via a Mid-Tribulation Rapture, since this would be just prior to the final 1,260 days (second half) of the 70th Week (12:6). If so, “the rest of [the woman’s] offspring” (12:17)—presumably, the “foolish virgins” of Matthew 25:3,8,11—would remain behind to face Satan’s wrath, to be caught up later at the Pre-Wrath Rapture.

The Philadelphian Church (Revelation 3:7-13) was the only church with whom no fault was found. To them was presented an “open door” (3:8), which perhaps is analogous to the “door” into which the wise virgins will enter with the Bridegroom (Matthew 25:10). If so, this will be a door that no one can shut until “Philadelphian-type” believers or “wise virgins” have walked through it with their Bridegroom. Immediately after it has been shut, the remaining believers or “foolish virgins” will be unable to “open” that door (Matthew 25:11). Presumably, though, it will be re-opened later, for their entry, at the Pre-Wrath Rapture; and they will join the wedding banquet (25:10) at that time.

If there is a Mid-Tribulation Rapture, I would see it much like how a so-called “Pre-Tribulation” Rapture is described: as a silent event, with no signs preceding it, like a “thief in the night” (Matthew 24:43). Whether the changed “firstfruits” believers would be caught up immediately, or awhile later, is unknown. We know that Jesus remained on earth for forty days following His resurrection (Acts 1:3), to encourage believers to look forward to the coming of the Holy Spirit ten days later (1:4,8, 2:1-4), on the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15-22) or Shavuot (Pentecost). Perhaps, glorified believers would remain behind, for a time, to encourage those who will have to endure the dreadful Great Tribulation period. See more at “Is it possible that Jesus’ parable about the ten virgins could indicate that there will be a Mid-tribulation Rapture?”

Another possibility is that some believers who have seen a “firstfruits” rapture of a group of their peers—perhaps on the Feast of Firstfruits, a barley harvest of “first grain” (Leviticus 23:10)—will be motivated to obtain the “oil” of the Torah for themselves, in particular an observance and adherence to the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 20-23). Then maybe this second group of “virgins,” as well, would be caught up and away on the fiftieth day thereafter, on the Feast of Weeks = Pentecost = Shavuot, as a “firstfruits” wheat harvest of “new grain” (23:16,17).

Deliverance via the Rapture

The greatest Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, likened the “day of the Lord” to a woman writhing in the most severe pains of hard labor (Isaiah 13:8,9—see birth pains). He also associated conspicuous cosmic disturbances (13:10, 34:4) with that general time period.

In another place, Isaiah gave a similar description of a woman writhing in labor pains (Isaiah 26:17), but in this case he associated with it a special type of deliverance for God’s people:

But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no longer (Isaiah 26:19-21).

In this special deliverance, a resurrection is described, followed by an entering by God’s people into their “rooms” (presumably the same “rooms,” “chambers,” or “mansions” described by Jesus as the ones He was going to prepare for them—John 14:2,3). There, they will be protected until the Lord’s “wrath has passed by,” during which time the people of the earth will be punished for their sins.

Paul noted that “God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9). I believe that most of the 70th Week, leading up to the Day of the Lord period, will not consist of God’s wrath being discharged actively upon the world. In heaven, during more than the initial half of the 70th Week, Jesus the Lamb passively will be removing the seven seals from the scroll, which will have been handed to Him (Revelation 5:1-9), rather than actively doling out punishment upon the earth.

Rather, I see the majority of the 70th Week as a time when God will remove His stabilizing, helping hand from the earth and mankind. As a result, there will be great instability in and on the earth itself—manifested by such things such as frequent, intense earthquakes, famines, plagues, and catastrophic weather, as well as chaos in societies worldwide, most likely including widespread economic collapse and horrific acts of terrorism. This will create a highly volatile environment in which the Antichrist (the “eleventh horn” of the first beast)—supported by bewildered, disoriented, panicked people everywhere—will rise to power.

In the Book of Revelation, the very first occurrences of the word “wrath” are found after the description of the cosmic disturbances and tumult (following the opening of the Sixth Seal). At this time, the people of the earth, from the great to the lowly, will flee to hide in caves in the rocks of the mountains, terrified of the visible appearance of the Lord (Isaiah 2:19-21; Revelation 6:15,16). They will see the Lord Jesus coming on the clouds of the sky and will want to be hidden “from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (6:16,17). It is at that point, I believe, that the Pre-Wrath Rapture will occur, just prior to the impending “great day of their wrath” (Day of the Lord), during which the wrath of the Father and the Son (the Lamb) will be doled out upon the earth.

Thus, after the intense cosmic disturbances have begun to take place, the primary Rapture event will take place. Multitudes of believers who have died thoughout the centuries will be resurrected. Together with believers alive at the time, they will be transformed into glorified, immortal, imperishable forms, or changed bodies—each being clothed with his or her “heavenly dwelling” (2 Corinthians 5:1-4)—and instantly caught up (raptured) to be with Jesus in the clouds. Then they will be taken into heaven, where they will praise God sitting on His throne (Revelation 7:9,10). In this extraordinary manner, they will be delivered and protected from the terrible Day of the Lord period to follow, when God’s righteous wrath will be unleashed upon the earth.

Day and hour unknown

Jesus noted, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). I believe there is strong evidence to support the idea that the main Rapture will take place on a Rosh haShanah (= Feast of Trumpets, Yom Teruah or “Day of the Awakening Blast”). The year of which Rosh haShanah we cannot be absolutely certain. Even if we knew the year, we would not know on which day or hour of that particular Rosh haShanah, traditionally celebrated for two days each year, that Jesus will appear in the clouds.

Rosh haShanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at the new moon. Before methods were available to calculate the exact time of each new moon, no one knew the day or hour the new moon would occur until two witnesses, peering into the sky, detected the first minute sliver of the waxing moon. Upon their announcement (just as the two witnesses of the future will prophesy and announce the Second Coming of Jesus in the clouds), Rosh haShanah officially would begin. As such, the phrase “we do not know the day or hour” came to be synonymous with Rosh HaShanah.

Thus, when Jesus said, “No one knows about that day or hour [of His appearance in the clouds]” (Matthew 24:36), He most likely was making a direct reference to Rosh haShanah—the first Jewish Fall festival, which Jesus will fulfill upon His Second Coming on the clouds into earth’s atmosphere. Exactly which Rosh haShanah, and on which day and hour of that Rosh haShanah, only the Father knows for certain. Whenever it happens, though, this Feast of Trumpets should be followed soon by the opening of the Seventh Seal and then the seven Trumpet Judgments.

Another possibility is that, in case there happens to be a partial Mid-Tribulation Rapture at the midpoint of the 70th Week, only the Father will be the Judge of which believers are caught up and which ones stay behind. The ones left behind, who do not apostatize from the faith, can expect to be caught up later at the Pre-Wrath Rapture, or perhaps even later at a Post-tribulation Rapture (on the day Jesus returns to earth—Revelation 14:14-16). Thus, no living person would know, for certain, what day or hour on which he/she would be caught up and away to be with the Lord.

After the Rapture

Following what I believe to be the (primary) Rapture event during the cosmic disturbances and the earthly shaking of the Sixth Seal, John described the supernatural sealing of 144,000 from the tribes of Israel—12,000 from each tribe—for protection on earth, from that point forward (Revelation 7:1-8). I suspect that, very possibly, all of these 144,000 sealed will have been “on a fence” concerning the acceptance of Jesus as Messiah and Lord. If so, after they see that the Rapture clearly has taken place, these “servants of God” may be the ones to whom the “baton” of spreading the Gospel message to the world is passed (since later, after this group of 144,000 is “redeemed from the earth,” in what apparently is their own “private catching-up” episode, the Gospel message next will be proclaimed to the world by a flying angel—14:1-7).

It is immediately after the sealing of the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel that John described what I believe is the great multitude of newly-raptured saints in heaven. They will be “from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb,” holding palm branches (just as the great crowd had done during Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Passover—John 12:12,13) and praising God (Revelation 7:9-17). This multitude of saved believers will have been caught up, dead and alive, out of the Great Tribulation (7:14). As a result, they will not have to endure the wrath of God during the Day of the Lord period, most of which will consist of the Trumpet Judgments.

The Day of the Lord will begin, as written chronologically in the Book of Revelation, after the opening of the Seventh Seal (Revelation 8:1–10:7). Initially, there will be “silence in heaven for about half an hour” (8:1). That is, the noise of thunderous praising of God by redeemed saints and all the angels (7:10,11) will cease briefly as the seven angels with the seven trumpets stand before God (8:2), ready to pour out the Trumpet Judgments. From this point foward, God no longer will be “passive” (in opening the seals) but, rather, will take an active roll in directing the seven angels to dispense His wrath upon the earth. In essence, Jesus’ disposition will turn from a Lamb into a Lion.

The Rapture will be such an extraordinarily stupendous and unique event in human history that one certainly would have expected Jesus to have foreseen, and John to have viewed, its future happening. I believe Jesus did so when He described the coming of the Son of Man on the clouds of the sky (Matthew 24:30,31), and John did so during his description of the Sixth Seal events (Revelation 6:16), as well as of the “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” soon thereafter in heaven (7:9). The fact that Jesus did not, at the beginning of His Olivet Discourse, describe such a great event to occur, nor did John see a great multitude of people in heaven at or just prior to the opening of the First Seal, are merely two elements that call into question the “Pre-Tribulation” Rapture view.

Rapture not unexpected

Unlike those who believe in a “Pre-Tribulation” Rapture, I do not see the Rapture as being a “silent, unexpected” event at all. Jesus’ disciples specifically had asked Him what would be the “sign” of his coming and of the “end of the age” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus’ return back to earth, in association with the blowing of the Seventh Trumpet, will be the end of this age and the start of His Kingdom on earth during the Millennium.

Some feel that the “sign” of Jesus’ next coming will be the appearance of some type of symbol or image in the sky, such as, perhaps, a cross. I feel that the Son of Man’s brilliant, dazzling Shekinah Glory, exploding from the Sixth Seal’s cosmic darkness like a blinding light, will get the immediate attention of the entire world. It will signal the imminent appearance of the Lord in the sky. This is the same radiant glory of Jesus, on a much smaller scale, that temporarily blinded Saul/Paul on his way to Damascus (Acts 9:3-5). Furthermore, Jesus’ actual appearance in the clouds (Matthew 24:30) at the Pre-Wrath Rapture—the first phase of Jesus’ Second Coming—can be considered to be the “sign” that His Second Advent (bodily descent) to earth is forthcoming, at a later time.

Jesus likened His next coming, in the future, to lightning flashing from the east to the west (Matthew 24:27). He indicated that the cosmic disturbances of the Sixth Seal will darken the skies, and then “the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn.” I believe, then, that the “sign” of Jesus’ next appearance will be His intensely bright materialization in the clouds of the sky, which will be seen by all the people on earth. It will be observed from the east to the west, at once, similar to the way that lightning in the eastern sky also is visible far to the west of its place of origin.

The people will mourn, I believe, because

everyone will see the Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God and the Son of Man, “coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory,” gathering His elect (saved believers at that time) from the earth (Matthew 24:29-31), and
all who are not raptured will lament and bemoan the fact that they have been left behind—to face the wrath of the Lamb (Revelation 6:16,17).

Paul stated, “for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” and urged, “let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled” (1 Thessalonians 5:2,6). He also stated, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him” (5:9,10). On the surface, these three passages seem to imply the following:

Jesus can appear in the clouds, at any moment, without notice;
every second of every day, we should be disciplined and expectant of His immediate appearance; and
following His sudden, imminent appearance, believers will be shielded (via the Rapture) from God’s impending wrath, which will begin, without warning, for the rest of humanity.

However, Paul indicated that the people for whom Jesus will appear unexpectedly are those in spiritual darkness, for whom sudden destruction will come “as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). (The “labor pains” mentioned by Paul are different from the “beginning of birth pains” described by Jesus.) He then added that “you, brothers” (that is, believers in Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Savior) would not be in darkness and that the “day” (of the Lord) would not come as a thief for these (5:4,5).

This does not mean that believers should not be self-controlled in their actions, as Paul advised that they should be (1 Thessalonians 5:8). But I do believe it means that when the cosmic disturbances of the Sixth Seal are occurring, saved believers will be looking up expectantly, and with great anticipation, for Jesus to come on the clouds and redeem them. On the other hand, lost unbelievers will be absolutely terrified, horror-struck, and aghast at what is about to come upon the world.

Apostasy

Being convinced that the Pre-Wrath Rapture is the first and main “catching-up” event for believers, and that it is not preceded by any other rapture events, one phrase written by Paul concerns me. He spoke of the “rebellion” or “apostasy” which would take place, prior to the revelation of the man of lawlessness (Antichrist) at the midpoint of the 70th Week (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Actually, the word is correctly translated “apostasy” (from the Greek ), indicating a loss of faith and a falling away from one’s religious or spiritual beliefs. The word “rebellion” indicates more of a forceful and active revolt or uprising, resulting from intense disenchantment and disillusionment. Certainly, a rebellion can result from apostasy, but not necessarily.

I believe it is quite possible that some—maybe a great many—people will apostasize (fall away) from the Christian faith after realizing that the 70th Week has begun but that they have not yet been caught up from the earth to be with Jesus. It could be that a significant number of these disenchanted people, having been led to believe that a “Pre-Tribulation” (that is, a pre-70th-Week) catching-up would occur, but suddenly finding themselves facing insurmountable trials and hardships, will think something like this: “Hey! We had been assured that Jesus would be coming for us before this point, but it hasn’t happened! Maybe Jesus has abandoned us—or maybe there is no Jesus after all!” Perhaps this even could cause many marginal Christians to join the ranks of Islam.

Considering this possibility, I believe that it is important for those who embrace a “Pre-Tribulation” (or even a “Mid-Tribulation”) Rapture view to make sure they understand all aspects of the Pre-Wrath Rapture view. Whether or not they wish to embrace the Pre-Wrath view now, at least they will know Jesus has not abandoned them, when they realize that the 70th Week is progressing while they still remain on the earth.

Secondary rapture events

I believe that the Pre-Wrath Rapture, occurring after the opening of the Sixth Seal described by John in the Book of Revelation, will be the primary (most important) Rapture event during the 70th Week, although, perhaps, there may be a Mid-Tribulation Rapture event prior to that. Moreover, I also believe that there will be subsequent rapture (“catching-up”) events, until the very end of the 70th Week. Maybe the phrase “Behold, I come like a thief!” (Revelation 16:15), interjected just prior to the pouring out of the Seventh Bowl (16:17), is an indication that yet one last Rapture event will take place at that point as well.

As noted before, the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel, who will be sealed for protection (Revelation 7:1-8) immediately after the initial Rapture, were seen by John in heaven at a later time, presumably after their own event of being raptured into heaven (14:1-7—see 144,000 caught up).

The two witnesses clothed in sackcloth, who will prophesy for 1,260 days during the second half of the 70th Week (Revelation 11:3), later will be killed (11:7). After 3½ days, they will be taken “up to heaven in a cloud” while their enemies look on (11:11,12).

At possibly the very same time that the two witnesses are ascending to heaven, there will be those who will be caught up (“harvested”) at the end of the 70th Week (Revelation 14:14-16), just prior to Jesus’ physical return to earth to destroy the enemies of Israel and Jerusalem. This may be considered to be a Seventh Trumpet Rapture. I agree with those of the “Post-Tribulation” persuasion who point to this as a Rapture occurrence; however, I maintain that the Pre-Wrath Rapture, not the harvest of believers at the end of the 70th Week, will be the first and primary Rapture event (unless, perhaps, it is preceeded by a Mid-Tribulation Rapture of as many as half of believers).

At the initial, Pre-Wrath Rapture, angels will be the ones who will gather the elect (Matthew 24:31); whereas, at the catching-up event at the end of the 70th Week, Jesus (the Son of Man) Himself will be the one who will gather the final harvest (Revelation 14:16) of believers. I believe that all of the events in which saved believers are gathered, near the end of the 70th Week and at the beginning of the Millennium, can be considered part of the “first resurrection” (20:5b,6a); whereas, the “second resurrection” (20:5a), when the unsaved are condemned to the second (eternal) death, will take place at the end of the Millennium (20:11-14). All of those taking part in the “first resurrection” will not be affected by the second death (20:6b).

Olivet Discourse and six seal parallels

Once the main Pre-Wrath Rapture event has been placed at Matthew 24:30,31 and at Revelation 6:16, it is worth looking at earlier passages in Matthew 24 and Revelation 6 to see if they are similar. Indeed, they are.

It already has been shown that the cosmic disturbance descriptions by both Jesus (Matthew 24:29) and John (Revelation 6:12,13) are comparable. Further analysis will show that Jesus’ brief descriptions of previous portions of the 70th Week match closely with those of John’s.

Below, I will indicate what John saw when, in the future, the first six seals of the heavenly scroll will be opened (Revelation 5:1-5) and then, in each case, what I believe are the parallel events described by Jesus (see also Chronology of the Olivet Discourse):

First Seal: I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. … I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest (Revelation 6:1,2).

Jesus: Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many (Matthew 24:4,5).

Second Seal: When the Lamb opened the second seal,…another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword (Revelation 6:3,4).

Jesus: You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (Matthew 24:6,7).

Third Seal: When the Lamb opened the third seal,…there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard…a voice…saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” (Revelation 6:5,6).

Jesus: There will be great earthquakes, famines… (Luke 21:11).

Fourth Seal: When the Lamb opened the fourth seal,…I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:7,8).

Jesus: [There will be]…famines and pestilences [plagues] in various places… (Luke 21:11). All these are the beginning of birth pains [sorrows] (Matthew 24:8).

Fifth Seal: When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained (Revelation 6:9).

Jesus: Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. … For then there will be great distress [great tribulation], unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened (Matthew 24:9,21,22).

Sixth Seal (part 1): I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place (Revelation 6:12-14).

Jesus: Immediately after the distress [great tribulation] of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies [powers of the heavens] will be shaken (Matthew 24:29).

Sixth Seal (part 2): Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17).

Jesus: At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet [shofar] call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other (Matthew 24:30,31).

Parousia

I want to give a brief explanatory note for the Greek noun behind the word “coming,” which is parousia, meaning “an arrival and a continuing presence.” It is the term behind the expression “second coming” or “second advent.” The Lord’s second coming (parousia) will be a comprehensive-complex whole. In other words, it will not be a simple, instantaneous event as the rapture will be. Instead it will span various events that will fulfill divine purposes.

We can illustrate this by looking at Jesus’ first coming. When we think of this event, we do not think exclusively of his birth. His birth was his arrival, but his subsequent presence included his upbringing, teaching ministry, miracles, discipleship, death, burial, and resurrection. It was a complex whole that God used to fulfill his purposes. Similarly, the second coming will begin with Jesus’ arrival in the clouds to resurrect the dead and rapture them along with believers who are alive at that time (1 Thess. 4:13–18). The biblical writers often emphasized the arrival aspect of the parousia because they wanted to induce godly living in their listeners. But it would be a mistake to think they viewed it as limited only to Jesus’ glorious appearing in the sky to resurrect the dead and rapture all believers. This is because his subsequent presence (parousia) will encompass major events such as the day of the Lord’s wrath, bringing the remnant of Israel to salvation, and reclaiming his earthly regal-rule, which will extend into the millennium. In short, Christ’s parousia will be realized in his delivery of God’s people, judgment upon the wicked, and reign over the world.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV) ¹³ But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. ¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

The Day of the Lord

Commonly, but inappropriately, the entire 70th Week is referred to as the Day of the Lord. On the contrary, I have shown that, starting at the midpoint of the 70th Week, the following events—as a sequence of four axioms used as foundational blocks in demonstrating the timing of the Pre-Wrath Rapture event—will occur in chronological order, as follows:

the cessation of sacrifices and offerings in the midst of the 70th Week, then the abomination that causes desolation inside of a “holy place,” as described by Jesus, which will be standing in Jerusalem at that time (Daniel 9:27bc; Matthew 24:15);
the beginning of the Great Tribulation period;
the cosmic disturbances of the Sixth Seal, where the sun and moon will turn dark and the heavenlies will be shaken;
the Pre-Wrath Rapture of believers, and finally
the Day of the Lord, which will not merely one day in length but will be a period of time, beginning with the opening of the Seventh Seal.

Timeline

Much of the Prewrath view is based on a linear, chronological interpretation of Jesus’ account of the end times in the Olivet Discourse. In contrast to the traditional Pre-Tribulation view, for example, the moon turning blood red only occurs once according to the Prewrath perspective. Events subsequent to the rapture are based on face-value interpretations of the books of Revelation and Daniel.

The “beginning of birth pains” start with wars, famines and earthquakes around the world (Matthew 24:19). This duration is thought to cover the first 3.5 years of Daniel’s 70th week, which starts when the Antichrist confirms or strengthens a seven year “covenant with the many” (Daniel 9:24).

Matthew 24:19 (NKJV) But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
Daniel 9:24 (NKJV) “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.

The Antichrist starts his reign with the “abomination of desolation” (Matthew 24:15) at the midpoint of the 70th week, putting an end to sacrifice and offering (Daniel 9:27). His reign, along with the false prophet (Revelation 13:11), lasts for 3.5 years.

Matthew 24:15 (NKJV) “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),
Daniel 9:27 (NKJV) Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”
Revelation 13:11 (NKJV) Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.

The Antichrist’s rule begins the great tribulation, a worldwide distress unequaled to any across history (Matthew 24:21). At this time the believers of God face persecution.

Matthew 24:21 (NKJV) For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

During the latter half of the 3.5 years and prior to Jesus’ return, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, stars will fall from the sky (Joel 2:10, Matthew 24:29). In Revelation 6:12, this coincides with the opening of the sixth seal, when the sun turns black and the moon turns blood red.

Joel 2:10 (NKJV) The earth quakes before them, The heavens tremble; The sun and moon grow dark, And the stars diminish their brightness.
Matthew 24:29 (NKJV) “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Revelation 6:12 (NKJV) I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.

Jesus appears coming on the clouds of the sky to all, and angels will bring about the rapture of the Church (Matthew 24:30-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52). In Revelation, his appearance is signified by the people calling out, “hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!” (Rev 6:12)

Matthew 24:30-31 (NKJV) ³⁰Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NKJV) ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (NKJV) ⁵¹Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

God’s wrath falls on the remaining unbelievers, called the “day of the Lord” (Joel 2:11). Since the Second Coming and the rapture of the Church occur immediately before the Day of the Lord, they occur before God’s wrath — hence, the “Prewrath rapture” of the Church. The 7th seal encompasses the wrath of the seven trumpets (Revelation 8:2); the seventh trumpet may represent the seven bowls of wrath, which complete the mystery of God (Revelation 11:15).

Joel 2:11 (NKJV) The LORD gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; Who can endure it?
Revelation 8:2 (NKJV) And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
Revelation 11:5 (NKJV) And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.

Since the Antichrist’s reign lasts for 42 months (or 3.5 years) according to Revelation 13:5, the Antichrist’s rule ceases at the end of the 70th week.
At the battle of Armageddon, the Antichrist and the false prophet are defeated and cast into the lake of fire. Since the time of the Antichrist is 1290 days according to Daniel 12:11 (30 days longer than his 42-month reign), his end is then placed 30 days after Daniel’s 70th week.

Daniel 12:11-12 (NKJV) ¹¹And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. ¹² Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.

45 days after the destruction of the Antichrist, Christ’s millennial reign is established. This is based on Daniel 12:12, which states, “Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.” The 45 days is derived from taking 1335 and subtracting 1260 days (42 months of Antichrist’s reign) and 30 days (the end of the Antichrist), or 1335-(1260+30)=45.

Proposed confirmations

Prewrath adherents affirm that Scriptures from throughout the Old and New Testaments confirm this timing of the rapture:

A side-by-side comparison of the wording of the sixth seal (Revelation 6:12-13) and the signs in Matthew 24:29 announcing the Second Coming of Jesus and the rapture of the Church indicate that they are the same event. Immediately after the sixth seal is opened in Revelation 6:17, the people of the earth cry out, “hide us from the face of the Lamb!” (the Lamb referring to Jesus Christ), indicating that they are viewing Jesus in the clouds. Since all of the people on earth (every slave and every free man) are crying out of the wrath of God, this implies that all those on earth are unbelievers, and that the believers have already been raptured. Therefore, the rapture in Matthew 24:29-31 occurs after the sixth seal of Revelation, but before the seventh seal of God’s wrath. The church is described to be in heaven as the great multitude (Revelation 7:1 ff.), which has “come out of the Great Tribulation” (Revelation 7:9-11).
Throughout the Old Testament, the Day of the Lord is the term used for the time of God’s final judgment and wrath upon earth. According to Joel 2:31, “the sun will turn dark and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord.” This combination of sun turning dark and moon into blood is always used to symbolize the same event: the cosmic signs in heaven before the arrival of the Messiah. This places the Day of the Lord immediately after the arrival of Jesus Christ to rapture the Church (Joel 2:31, Revelation 6:12-13, Matthew 24:29).
In 1 Thessalonians, Paul puts the Thessalonians’ minds at ease that, while the members of this church were experiencing severe testing and tribulation, the Day of the Lord had not come upon them and they had not missed the Lord’s return. Paul writes that those who are alive at the coming of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:15) will be caught up in the sky with Him at the rapture (1 Thessalonian. 4:16-17). Then in Chapter 5, Paul writes that, “but of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write to you, for the Day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2); but you brothers are not in darkness, so that this day should surprise you like a thief (1 Thessalonians 5:4).

According to Prewrath, this passage clearly indicates that the coming of the Lord and the Day of the Lord are part and parcel of the same event, the coming of the Lord. First, Jesus arrives in the sky at His Second Coming, at which time He raptures all Christian believers, then His judgment during the Day of the Lord falls upon those who have disbelieved and rejected His lordship.

Prewrath is also distinguished from other premillennial rapture positions as to when, in relation to Daniel’s 70th Week, the Second Coming and rapture take place. Pretrib places the rapture before the 70th Week. Midtrib places it at middle of the 70th Week. Posttrib places it at the end of the 70th Week. Prewrath places it at an unspecified time after the midpoint of the 70th Week, but before the end.

This is justified, according to Prewrath, by the fact that Jesus places His return (Matthew 24:30-31) after the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15), which occurs at the midpoint of the 70th Week (cf. Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:31). Thus, if the Second Coming and rapture occur after the sixth seal, this places this event after the midpoint but before the end (seventh trumpet).

Tenets of Prewrath

There is a future seven-year period, and at the midpoint the Antichrist will be revealed and commit the abomination of desolation, initiating his great tribulation against the Church and Israel.
There is a biblical distinction between the Antichrist’s great tribulation against the Church and Israel and the day of the Lord’s wrath against the ungodly. The latter event happens after the former event.
The gathering of the elect mentioned in Matthew 24:31 refers to the rapture (cf. Mark 13:27; Luke 21:28; Rev 7:9–17; 1 Thess 4:13–18; 2 Thess 2:1).
At an unknown day and hour during the second half of the seven-year period, the Antichrist’s great tribulation will be cut short by the Revelation of Christ to resurrect and rapture God’s people, and this will be followed immediately by the day of the Lord’s wrath executed upon the ungodly.
On the same day the rapture happens, the onset of the day of the Lord’s wrath takes place, just as it was in the days of Noah and Lot (Luke 17:22–37; cf. 2 Thess 1:5–10).
The second coming (parousia) is not a simple (instantaneous) event. The second coming is a complex-whole event containing various purposes of God, beginning with the Revelation of Christ in the sky displaying his Shekinah glory and power to the whole world, and resurrecting and rapturing God’s people, followed by the day of the Lord’s judgments upon the ungodly and Antichrist’s kingdom, restoring Israel to salvation, and culminating in Christ’s earthly reign.
Although Armageddon is an element within the complex-whole second coming, Armageddon does not initiate the second coming; instead, the second coming begins between the sixth and seventh seal.
The resurrection and rapture happens between the opening of the sixth seal and the seventh seal.
The first six seals are not part of the day of the Lord’s wrath. The first six seals are conditional events that must happen before Christ’s return.
The sixth seal signals the impending day of the Lord’s wrath as recorded in Joel 2:30–31; Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25–26; Mark 13:23–25; and Revelation 6:12–17.
The seventh seal pronounces the day of the Lord’s wrath.
The trumpets, bowls, and Armageddon contain and execute the day of the Lord’s wrath.
The trumpets, bowls, and Armageddon will not occur before the seventh seal is opened.
Paul’s “last trumpet” (1 Cor 15:52) is not the seventh trumpet judgment in the book of Revelation.
Christ’s return to resurrect and rapture God’s people is not imminent (“any moment”), since discernible prophesied events must happen first (e.g., the Antichrist’s revelation and his ensuing great tribulation; the apostasy; coming of Elijah; and a cluster of discernible celestial events). Christ can return in any generation of the Church.