When Will the Rapture Occur?

A BRIEF REFLECTION ON KEY RAPTURE THEORIES

By Ezekiel Kimosop

No one can explicitly tell when the rapture would occur. We do not know the day or the hour of Christ's coming but we can tell the season. The Bible outlines for us a number of political, religious and cosmic signs associated with the season when the coming of Christ is believed to draw near (cf. Daniel 9; Matthew 24; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). Christian traditions have developed a number of theories based on their interpretation of Scripture that they consider useful in determining when the rapture would take place. There are a number of rapture theories advanced by theological scholars that are embraced by separate Christian traditions. We shall briefly outline them below. 

1) PRE-TRIBULATION PREMILLENIALISM THEORY

This eschatological view, also described by some as the "pre-wrath rapture," teaches that the rapture of the church shall precede the seven years tribulation period contemplated in Daniel 9, Matthew 24 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. 

According to this theory, Christ will take away His church to heaven primarily to spare believers the horrific scenes described in the Book of Revelation. Christ will thereafter return with the saints at the close of the tribulation period and reign in Jerusalem for 1000 years (Revelation 19-20). 

This is perhaps one of the most popular rapture views in Biblical eschatology. It is largely embraced by most Evangelical Christian traditions. Its main criticism lies in the assumption that the Church shall not go through the tribulation period or even witness the reign of the Antichrist. Critics of this theory also argue that there is a residual possibility that the church will be present on earth for an undefined period of time during the reign of the Antichrist and prior to the coming of Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3). 

2) MID-TRIBULATION 

This theory teaches that the rapture shall take place in the middle of the seven years tribulation period (Daniel 9, Matthew 24, Rev 17-19). This theory assumes that believers who will be alive during the eschatological period that coincides with Christ's coming will undergo some degree of suffering under the Antichrist system.

According to the theory, Christ will suddenly appear at a point in time during which the Antichrist reign is identified with severe persecution of the church. Christ will take away His saints through the rapture. He will then return to earth with the saints after a given period and reign in Jerusalem for 1000 years.

Some scholars say that the first three and a half years of the great tribulation period relate to the "wrath of Satan" [Antichrist], a type of affliction that the church will suffer. They say that once the church is done with this affliction, God will snatch away the church in the rapture and the "wrath of God" is henceforth served on the wicked for the remaining portion of the tribulation period. 

Critics of this view say that God cannot permit His covenant people to persevere through the tribulation period because Christ took away their afflictions on the cross. 

A second criticism recognizes that the theory discounts the concept of the imminence of Christ's coming that is taught in several passages of the New Testament Scripture. One of the strengths of this theory relates to the acknowledgment of Christian suffering, a theme that was taught by Jesus in several passages of the Gospels (cf. Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:23, 14:27). Some say that the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:22 appear to point to the possibility that believers may suffer for a season under the great tribulation period. 

3) POST-TRIBULATION THEORY

This view states that the rapture comes at the end of the seven years tribulation period and that the millennium reign of Christ commences immediately or at the same time as the rapture. 

This theory does not distinguish between Christ's first and second coming, a distinction identified with the pre-tribulation view. 

The main criticism associated with the post-tribulation view is what some consider as a misplaced assumption that God will punish the saints through needless suffering yet Christ had paid their ransom at the cross. Other critics say that the theory ignores several passages of Scripture that reveal a concise period of God's wrath on the wicked that cannot contemplate the presence of the church on earth.

4) AMILLENIALISM VIEW [NO MILLENNIUM] THEORY. 

This school of thought rejects the idea of a physical millennium reign of Christ. They claim that the 1000 years period described in Revelation 19-20 is merely symbolic of a long dispensation of time generally. They say that Christ's reign commenced at Calvary and continues through the Church age, terminating terminate with the rapture. Other adherents say that Christ's reign is eternal and cannot be reduced to any particular theological dispensation or period under human civilization. They further claim that the events and figures described in Revelation 19-20 are merely symbolic and cannot be subject to literal interpretation.

Critics of this view disagree with the symbolism notion in the interpretation of prophetic literature. They argue that certain scenes described in a number of prophetic writings relate to actual historic and futuristic events, some of which are yet to be fulfilled. 

Accordingly, therefore, critics say that some of the scenes described in the Book of Revelation, including the millennium reign and the judgment (Revelation 17-20) must be subject to literal interpretation for theological consistency. 

5) THE PRETERISM VIEW

This theory holds that all the prophecies of the Bible are descriptive of events that have already been fulfilled in the past. Those who subscribe to this theory claim that ancient Israel found its fulfillment in the Christian Church during the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The church is therefore the new Israel! The term "Preterism" comes from the Greek word "praeter" which is a prefix denoting that something is "past" or "beyond". 

Those who subscribe to the view are known as preterists. Preterism teaches that either all (full preterism) or a majority (partial preterism) of the Olivet discourse had come to pass by AD 70. Critics of this view accuse the preterists of ignoring established methods of the interpretation of Scripture that distinctly point to past and futuristic fulfillment of prophecies. They consider the Preterist view as largely abstract and lacking in theological affirmation. 

CONCLUSION

The million dollar question then is thus: 

Which of these theories or eschatological views is closer to the teaching of Scripture?

This is a difficult question to answer because none of the theories perfectly presents a pristine Biblical positions that should be exclusively embraced. These theories are held by different Christian traditions who are passionate in defending their theological positions using sets of Scripture passages that they can collate. It is, however, important to appreciate that each of the above theories has its theological strengths and limitations when examined in the light of Scripture. None is therefore perfect. 

I would however doubt the validity of the preterist view. It appears, in my view, to fly in the face of faithful Bible hermeneutics. It flatly ignores the futuristic view of prophecy without articulating a convincing hermeneutical premise in its defense. I am strongly persuaded by the first two theories. Several passages of Scripture appear to affirm some of their arguments. 

The second question relates to whether the rapture will occur in secret or if it will be open to the world to witness. Given the implications of the teaching of 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, I am persuaded that the rapture will happen so fast that people will only notice that believers are missing from their midst long after they are gone! The second coming of Christ is however likely to be a public spectacle given the implications of Revelation 1:7 on Christ's return to earth. John reveals that Christ will come in the clouds and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. Besides, the writer of Scripture says that all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. 

Shalom

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2021