The Rapture and the Second Coming:
An Important Distinction
Written by Thomas Ice
I will begin by laying out specific biblical evidence for the pre-trib rapture.
The first place to start is with the biblical notion that the rapture of the
church is distinct from Christ's second coming to the earth.
John Feinberg notes that distinguishing between the rapture and second coming is
important in establishing pre-tribulationism against the non-pre-trib claim that
the Bible does not teach such a view.
The pre-tribulationist must show that there is enough dissimilarity
between clear rapture and clear second advent passages as to warrant the claim
that the two kinds of passages could be speaking about two events which could
occur at different times. The pre-tribulationist does not have to prove
at this point . . . that the two events must occur at different times, but only
that the exegetical data from rapture and second advent passages do not make it
impossible for the events to occur at different times. If he can do that, the
pre-tribulationist has shown that his view is not impossible. And, he has
answered the pos-ttribulationist's strongest line of evidence.
1
A key factor in understanding the New Testament's teaching of the
pre-tribulation rapture revolves around the fact that two future comings of
Christ are presented. The first coming is the catching up into the clouds of the
church before the seven-year tribulation and the second coming occurs at the end
of the tribulation when Christ returns to the earth to begin His 1,000 year
kingdom. Anyone desirous of insight into the biblical teaching of the rapture
and second advent must study and decide whether Scripture speaks of one or two
future events.
FRAMING THE ISSUE
Post-tribulationists usually contend that if the rapture and the second coming
are two distinct events, separated by about seven years, then there ought to be
at least one passage in Scripture which clearly teaches this. However, the Bible
does not always teach God's truth in accordance with our preconceived notions or
in such a way that answers directly all of our questions. For example, a
Unitarian could design a similar kind of question regarding the Trinity. "Where
is at least one passage in Scripture which clearly says that the Persons of the
Godhead are distinct?" We who believe the Trinity reply that the Bible teaches
the Trinity but in a different way.
Many important biblical
doctrines are not given to us directly from a single verse, we often need to
harmonize passages into systematic conclusions. Some truths are directly stated
in the Bible, such as the deity of Christ (John 1:1, Titus 2:13). But doctrines
like the Trinity and the incarnate nature of Christ are the product of biblical
harmonization. Taking into account all biblical texts, orthodox theologians,
over time, recognized that God is a Trinity and that Christ is the God-Man.
Similarly, a systematic consideration of all biblical passages reveals that
Scripture teaches two future comings.
Post-tribulationists often contend that the
pre-trib position is built merely built upon an assumption that certain verses
'make sense' if and only if the pre-trib model of the rapture is assumed to be
correct. However, they often fail to make it clear to their readers that they
are just as dependent upon assumptions as they say pre-tribbers are.
For example, Christ's ministry has two phases which revolve around His two
comings. Phase one took place at Christ's first coming when He came in
humiliation to suffer. Phase two will begin at Christ's second coming when He
will reign on earth in power and glory. Failure to distinguish these two phases
was a key factor in Israel's rejection of Jesus as Messiah at His first coming.
In the same way, failure to see clear distinctions between the rapture and
second advent lead many to a misinterpretation of God's future plan.
THE NATURE OF THE RAPTURE
The rapture is most clearly presented in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. In verse 17
the English phrase "caught up" translates the Greek word "harpázô," which means
"to seize upon with force" or "to snatch up." Latin translators of the Bible
used the word "rapere," the root of the English term "rapture." At the
rapture living believers will be "caught up" in the air, translated into the
clouds, in a moment of time.
The rapture is characterized in the Bible as a "translation coming" (1 Cor.
15:51-52; 1 Thes. 4:15-17) in which Christ comes for His church. The second
advent is Christ returning with His saints, descending from heaven to establish
His earthly kingdom (Zech. 14:4-5; Mat. 24:27-31). Ed Hindson observes:
The rapture (or "translation") of the church is often paralleled to the
"raptures" of Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2: 12). In each case, the
individual disappeared or was caught up into-heaven. At His ascension, our Lord
Himself was "taken up" into heaven (Acts 1:9). The biblical description of the
rapture involves both the resurrection of deceased believers and the translation
of living believers into the air to meet the Lord (1 Thess. 4:16-17; 1 Cor.
15:51 52). 2
Differences between the two events are harmonized naturally by the pre-trib
position, while other views are not able to account comfortably for such
distinctions. (Notice the graphic on page four that lists passages that speak of
the rapture and those referring to the second coming.)
RAPTURE AND SECOND COMING CONTRASTS
| Rapture | 2nd Coming |
| Translation of all believers | No translation at all |
| Translated saints go to heaven | Translated saints return to earth |
| Earth not judged | Earth judged & righteousness established |
| Imminent, any-moment | Follows definite predicted signs |
| Not in the Old Testament | Predicted often in Old Testament |
| Believers only | Affects all men |
| Before the day of wrath | Concluding the day of wrath |
| No reference to Satan | Satan bound |
| Christ comes for His own | Christ comes with His own |
| He comes in the air | He comes to the earth |
| He claims His bride | He comes with His bride |
| Only His own see Him | Every eye shall see Him |
| Tribulation begins | Millennial Kingdom begins |
John Walvoord concludes that these "contrasts should make it evident that the
translation of the church is an event quite different in character and time from
the return of the Lord to establish His kingdom, and confirms the conclusion
that the translation takes place before the tribulation."
3
ADDITIONAL DIFFERANCES
Paul speaks of the rapture as a "mystery" (1 Cor.
15:51-54), that is a truth not revealed until its disclosure by the apostles
(Col. 1:26), making it a separate event, while the second coming was predicted
in the Old Testament (Dan. 12:1-3; Zech. 12:10; 14:4).
The movement for the believer at the rapture is from earth to heaven, while it
is from heaven to earth at the second advent. At the rapture, the Lord comes for
his saints (1 Thess. 4:16), while at the second coming the Lord comes with His
saints (1 Thess. 3:13). At the rapture, the Lord comes only for believers, but
His return to the earth will impact all people. The rapture is a
translation/resurrection event where the Lord takes believers "to the Father's
house" in heaven (John 14:3), while at the second coming believers return from
heaven to the earth (Matt. 24:30). Hindson says, "The different aspects of our
Lord's return are clearly delineated in the scriptures themselves. The only real
issue in the eschatological debate is the time interval between them."
4
POST-TRIB PROBLEMS
One of the strengths of the pre-trib position is that it is better able to
harmonize the many events of end-time prophecy because of its distinction
between the rapture and the second coming. Normally, post-tribulationists do not
even attempt to answers such objections and the few that try struggle with the
biblical text. Yet, pre-tribulationists do not encounter difficulties in
providing answers. What are some post-trib problems?
First, post-tribulationism requires that the church will be present during the
70th week of Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27) even though it was absent from the first 69.
This is in spite of the fact that Daniel 9:24 says that all 70 weeks are for
Israel. Pre-ribulationism is not in conflict with this passage, as is post-tribulationism,
since the church departs before the beginning of the seven-year period.
Second, post-tribulationism must deny the New Testament teaching of imminency,
that Christ could come at any-moment. Pre-tribulationism does not have a problem
with these New Testament passages, since they believe that no signs must precede
the rapture.
Third, pre-millennial post-tribulationism has no answer to their problem of who
will populate the millennium if the rapture and second coming occur at the same
time. Since all believers will be translated at the rapture and all unbelievers
judged, because no unrighteous shall be allowed to enter Christ's kingdom, then
no one would be left in mortal bodies to start the population base for the
millennium. The pre-trib viewpoint does not have a problem at this point.
Fourth, post-tribulationism is not able to explain the sheep and goats judgment
after the second coming in Matthew 25:31-46. As in the previous problem, how
would there be any believers in mortal bodies, if they were raptured at the
second coming, who would be available to enter into Christ's kingdom? Pre-tribulationism
does not have such a problem.
Fifth, since Revelation 19:7-8 indicates that the church, Christ's Bride, is
made ready to accompany Christ to earth (Rev. 19:14) before the second coming,
how could this reasonably happen if part of the church is still on earth
awaiting Christ's Advent? If the rapture of the church takes place at the second
coming, then how does the Bride (i.e., the church) also come with Christ at His
return? There would not be sufficient time for this to happen within a
post-tribulation sequence, but the pre-trib position has no such problem.
CONCLUSION
The distinctions between Christ's coming in the air to rapture His church are
too great to be reduced into a single coming at the end of the tribulation.
These biblical distinctions provide a strong basis for the pre-trib rapture
teaching.
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ENDNOTES
1. John S. Feinberg, "Arguing for the Rapture: Who
Must Prove What and How" in Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy, editors When The
Trumpet Sounds (Eugene, Org.: Harvest House Publishers, forthcoming July 1995).
2. Edward E. Hindson, "The Rapture and the Return:
Two Aspects of Christ's Coming" in Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy, editors When The
Trumpet Sounds (Eugene, Org.: Harvest House Publishers, forthcoming July 1995).
3. The quotation and the first six contrasts in the
graphic above are taken from John F. Walvoord, The Return of the Lord (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1955), 87-88.
4. Hindson, Ibid.
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