The Problems of Pretribulationism

2008-03-11T07:27:00.002-07:00

Part 1
Pretribulationism, the teaching that the church will be taken out of the world before the time of the great tribulation, is problematic. There is no question that the Scriptures teach the visible second coming of the Lord Jesus in glory with His angels, and that when He comes the church will be caught up to meet Him in the air. But no Scriptures state or imply that the Lord Jesus is coming before the great tribulation.While many who teach and believe this doctrine are sincere, an examination of cited Scripture passages and the doctrinal reasoning employed to support this doctrine reveal faulty Bible study methodology.

Reading in the "Light" of Hypothesis versus The Word
The cornerstone of this methodology is the reading of unclear passages of Scriptures in the light or bias of the pretribulation hypothesis. Correct Bible study requires that unclear passages of Scripture be read in the light of clearer passages that speak about the same subject. Scripture interprets Scripture. A clearly stated hypothesis should never be used to clarify the meaning of an unclear Scripture passage. Context, language, intent of the author, and other clearer Scripture passages should be used. The following is an example of reading an unclear Bible passage in the light of a hypothesis.False hypothesis: The Bible teaches that UFOs with people from other planets have visited the earth. This is supported by the following Scriptures:"Then it came about as they were going along and talking, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven." (2 Kings 2:11)"And as I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire." (Ezekiel 1:4).Incorrect reasoning and conclusion: A chariot of fire that flies like a whirlwind into heaven with Elijah is just another way of describing a flying saucer. Glowing metal in the midst of a storm cloud of fire is Ezekiel’s way of describing a flying saucer. The passages cited support and confirm that UFOs from other planets have visited the earth.

The problem method
The hypothesis, with all of its details, was introduced first. This created a certain light or context in the mind of the reader. Next, the passages were read to support the hypothesis. Ignored were the Biblical contexts which said nothing about flying saucers or other planets. The hypothesis achieved undeserved authority because it was proposed to be a plausible explanation of the Scriptures cited.

In early 19th century Ireland, the doctrine of the pretribulation rapture of the church grew from the use of the above method. A clear hypothesis was stated, and various, less specific passages were appealed to for support. In an environment of renewed interest in prophecy, the doctrine grew like wildfire.Following is an examination of Scriptures often cited to support the pretribulation hypothesis. After examining the passage and the arguments presented for its meaning, ask these questions:• What does this passage clearly and unmistakably say?• If the meaning of the passage is not clear by itself, what clear and unambiguous Scripture passages or methods am I using to understand the passage?• Am I arriving at the meaning of the Scripture with the aid of the hypothesis?
The Church and God’s Wrath1 Thess. 5:9 'For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Pretribulation reasoning:
• The great tribulation is uniquely a time of God's wrath.
• God's wrath is poured out on all inhabitants of the earth.
• God has not destined true believers for wrath.

Incorrect conclusion:
The church cannot be present on the earth during the time of the great tribulation because the wrath of God would necessarily be directed toward it. Therefore the church must be raptured before the great tribulation. One pretribulation author, John Walvoord, says: "The church therefore cannot enter ’the great day of their wrath‘" (Rev. 6:17).

Problems with this reasoning:
First, every reader should study the Bible reference John Walvoord and others use to support the above conclusion. The passage makes no such claim. While it is true that God's wrath is poured out during the great tribulation (Rev. 6:17, 15:1, 16:1), it is not true that all persons on the earth at the time of the tribulation are the subjects of God's wrath. The book of Revelation speaks about saints living on earth during the time that God's wrath is being displayed (7:14, 11:3-12, 12:6, 13-17, 13:7, 14:12, 16:15). Some of these saints are the very agents of God's wrath (Rev.11:5-6). Jesus taught his disciples that the saints would be on the earth during the great tribulation, and then gathered together after the tribulation (Matt. 24:3-31, note vv. 29-31). The saints are not the target of God's wrath during this time, but are persecuted by the beast (Rev. 13:7). When God comes, his wrath is directed toward those who are persecuting the saints, and He provides relief for the suffering saints (2 Thess. 1:6-10).Pretribulation authors typically acknowledge that there will be saints on the earth during the tribulation, but they deny that such saints are members of the church. This assertion grows from dispensationalism, a method of interpreting Scripture that distinguishes Israel from the church in the last days. Thus they explain that although saints can be on the earth, the church is not. But there can be no doubt that believing Jews are portrayed as members of the church (from Pentecost to the coming of the Lord) in such passages as Eph. 2:14; Rev. 2:8-11, and Rev. 3:7-13. The dispensationalist’s assertion that believing Israel is not to be confused with the church during the time portrayed in Revelation fails to consider that: (1) believing Jews and gentiles go through the tribulation (Rev. 7:4-8, 9-14); (2) the church, since the time of Pentecost, has been composed of Jews and gentiles; and (3) the book of Revelation is written "to the churches" (Rev. 22:16). Thus, being present on earth during the great tribulation does not contradict the fact that God has not destined us for wrath. When the true believers of the church are present during the time of the tribulation, and looking forward to the rapture, they will be comforted and encouraged when they read: God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Philadelphia Kept From That Hour"
Because you have kept the word of my perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth." Rev. 3:10.

Pretribulation reasoning:
• The members of the church in Philadelphia are promised that they will be "kept from the hour of testing."
• Philadelphia, the church addressed, must represent the entire church prior to the time of the great tribulation.
• The "hour of testing" is interpreted to mean the entire time of the great tribulation.
• To be "kept from the hour of testing" is interpreted to mean that the church will be raptured from the earth.

Incorrect conclusion:
The church in Philadelphia is promised that it will be "kept from the hour," which must mean "be raptured from the earth," before the time of the great tribulation. The church in Philadelphia represents the whole true church of all believers just before the time of the tribulation. So the church will be raptured before the tribulation.

Problems with this reasoning:
In Revelation 2 and 3, seven contemporary churches are addressed. Five churches are warned to repent, while two churches, Philadelphia and Smyrna, are consoled and encouraged. To interpret the church of Philadelphia as representative of the entire church violates the context that presents it as one of seven churches. No passage of Scripture suggests that Philadelphia alone represents the entire church at the time preceding the great tribulation, while all the other six churches do not. Such an assertion is an arbitrary reading in the light of pretribulation hypothesis, not the results of exegesis.The "hour of testing" may be the time of the great tribulation, or it may be some segment before, during, or after the great tribulation. Whatever the meaning, the promise to be kept from it is only significant to the church in Philadelphia.To be "kept from the hour" could be interpreted various ways, including death before the onset of a particular time, or preservation and protection during such time. Indeed, the Lord Jesus, when praying for the church asks that they be "kept from the evil one," but specifically notes that He is not praying that they be "taken from the world" (John 17:15). To insist that "kept" means "raptured" is an arbitrary reading in the light of a hypothesis, not the result of any Scripture passage that teaches "kept" equals "raptured." It might be reasonable to suggest "kept" equals "raptured" if we had any passage of Scripture that presented the church being raptured (caught-up, removed, gathered) before the great tribulation, but no such passage exists. To conclude the meaning of this passage in the "light" of pretribulation hypothesis, and then use this passage as the basis of the pretribulation hypothesis, is a blatant example of circular reasoning.
To conclude the meaning of this passage in the "light" of pretribulation hypothesis, and then use this passage as the basis of the pretribulation hypothesis, is a blatant example of circular reasoning.

Plausible meaning of the passage:
The first chapter of Revelation identifies all the churches as lampstands. In chapters 2 and 3, both Philadelphia and Smyrna stand without criticism before the Lord while the other five churches are warned to repent. Chapter 11 describes the ministry, death, resurrection, and rapture of two witnesses after identifying them as "the two lampstands that stand" (the churches of Philadelphia and Smyrna). These two churches are protected by God while they carry out a unique ministry for 3 1/2 years. After their ministry is finished, the beast makes war with them and kills them. After 3 1/2 days, they are resurrected and raptured into the presence of the Lord. The protection by the Lord for their witness during the forty-two months, and their subsequent rapture before the events of the bowls, is the probable realization of the Lord's earlier promise to Philadelphia.

Apostasy or Rapture: Taken out of the way
"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" (2 Thess. 2:7).

Pretribulation reasoning:
• "He who now restrains" is a reference to the Holy Spirit, the church or the Holy Spirit as He indwells the church.
• The phrase "taken out of the way" equals the events of the rapture.
• The man of lawlessness appears (and consequently the tribulation begins) only after "he who now restrains" is "taken out of the way."Incorrect conclusion: He who now restrains (the Holy Spirit in the church) is taken out of the way (that is, taken out of the world), thus the church is taken out of the world before the tribulation begins.

Problems with this reasoning:
There is no general agreement among commentators regarding the meaning or even proper translation of the text rendered as "he who now restrains." It might better be translated, "he who now holds fast." In either case, the pretribulation hypothesis is improperly assumed so that "taken out of the way" equals "raptured out of the world."The phrase "taken out of the way" is literally "comes to be out of the midst." It is an explanation of the results of the apostasy that precedes the revelation of the man of sin introduced at the beginning of the passage. The general context and language of 2 Thess. 2 does not support, and in fact contradicts, the pretribulation hypothesis. The apostle Paul introduces this discussion with the fact that the apostasy would precede the appearance of the man of lawlessness and, consequently, the day of the Lord. The apostle does not introduce the passage with notification to the Thessalonians that they would be raptured before the appearance of the man of sin.

On the contrary, the apostle argues that:
• Apostasy, a falling away from the faith, would happen first.
• The man of lawlessness would appear.
• The man of lawlessness and day of the Lord had not yet appeared.
• The apostasy had not occurred.
• The Thessalonians were holding fast the faith (the opposite of apostasy).

Whatever the meaning of 2 Thess. 2, it is necessary to notice that rapture (our "gathering together to Him") is discussed as an event that follows apostasy and the revelation of the man of lawlessness (2 Thess. 2:3).If Paul wanted to convince this church that the day of the Lord had not yet occurred and thus support the idea of a pretribulation raputure, he could have simply said, "The rapture happens first, and you Thessalonians HAVE NOT BEEN RAPTURED!" But he did not.

Errors from Implication and Silence

The Time of Jacob's TroubleThe pretribulation hypothesis points to the fact that the great tribulation is the time of "Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7). Some infer from this that the church is not the focus of the tribulation and would not be expected to be on the earth during this time. However, even a casual reading of Jeremiah 30 reveals that the nations of the world are all drawn into the events described there, not just Jacob. In addition, the fact that this period of time is called "Jacob's trouble" does not invite us to conclude that "Jacob" is not the church, or a name equivalent to the church in end-times. Indeed, in the first century of the church's existence, "Jacob" was the predominant member of the church. The pretribulation argument that “Jacob’s trouble” is not the church’s trouble would have been nonsensical to John (himself a Jew) and to the early recipients of the book of Revelation. And why would the fact that it is the time of Jacob's trouble necessarily exclude anyone else of any description? This reasoning is again the product of dispensationalism, which insists that believing Jews are not members of the church in the end-times.

The Term "Church" Not in Revelation 4-21 But Certainly on EarthSome have claimed that because the term "church" does not occur in Revelation chapters 4 through 21, the church is not involved in the events portrayed, and therefore must have been raptured before these events. However, seven churches are addressed as present in their earthly cities in chapters 2 and 3, and they are not portrayed as having been raptured anywhere in those passages. In fact, they are warned of the consequences of Jesus’ coming. So we would logically expect to find them where we last saw them, in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. One pretribulation author, attempting to overcome this difficulty, suggested that John is a symbol of the church, and portrays the rapture of the church when he is instructed to "come up here" (4:1). But this method would leave the gate wide open for us to interpret almost any symbol as the church in chapters 4-21. This argument from silence is self-destructive to the pretribulation hypothesis since the word for rapture, or any description of it, does not occur with reference to the specific term "church" anywhere in Revelation. Should not pretribulationists wonder why a book written to the churches about the revelation of Jesus Christ has no mention of the rapture of the “church” on any page, according to their terms?