Are Protestants Wrong About a Pre-Tribulation "Secret Rapture"?

by Leonard V. Johnson

God’s living word – the Holy Bible – does not teach of a pre-tribulation “secret rapture.” Anyone who continues to teach this fallacy cannot be a ‘credible person.’ Any argument in favor of it is biblically disprovable. 

Sadly, some teach that certain verses teach a pre-tribulation “secret rapture.” They teach and propagate this theory and idea, but certainly cannot be referring to the same return – because they teach that our Lord Jesus comes back twice, years apart. And, they believe and teach that their understanding is the only biblically defensible position. And that the living truth from the LORD God is false.

We are very much aware that there are far right-wing extremists in the United States, in the evangelical so-called Christian community, who place great stock in a whole series of books that came out in 1995 entitled Left Behind by authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. The theory or idea behind these books is thus –

“The bestselling premillennial novels are Christian eschatological narratives inspired by the New Testament's Book of Revelation. The storyline focuses on a seven-year conflict, the post-rapture Great Tribulation, between an underground network of Christian converts and an oppressive new world order led by the Antichrist. The series expounds a Christian dispensationalist view of the End Times, specifically LaHaye's pretribulation and premillennial eschatology.” 1

Notice this from LaHaye’s book Are We Living in the End Times? –

“When the more than three hundred Bible references to the Second Coming are carefully examined, it becomes clear that there are two phases to His return. There are far too many conflicting activities connected with His return to be merged into a single coming. …

Since we know there are no contradictions in the Word of God, our Lord must be telling us something here. …” 2

Well, Mr. LaHaye, you can’t have it both ways. It’s either “there are too many conflicting activities” or “there are no contradictions.”

Contradicting and conflicting are two words that are often used interchangeably, but they do actually have distinct meanings. However, sandwiched between these two pages is a listing of 24 biblical passages that the author indicates proves a pre-tribulation “secret rapture.” Now, the passages are not quoted, only listed.

To show that those supposed pre-tribulation “secret rapture” passages are NOT in conflict with the LORD God’s teaching of a ONE-TIME RETURN, we are willing to go over each passage.

John 14:1-3 –

“’ Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God [speaking of God the Father], believe also in Me. 2) In My Father’s house are many mansions [dwelling places], 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 [and indeed He did; let us always be thankful to Him for this!], I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am [which is upon the earth, cf. Zechariah 14:4], there you may be also.’”

Now, if verse 2 was the only verse, then the concept of fleeting off to the third heaven might be suspected of being the place “prepared.” However, what so many cannot grasp is the awesome true meaning behind verse 3!

He was speaking of the Earth (‘that where I am’). Even if a so-called Christian could go to the upper heavenly realm, would he/she want to be there!? On the way up to the third heaven, he/she would theoretically pass God the Father and Jesus Christ coming here!

Besides, what most Protestants also cannot fully grasp is our Lord Jesus Christ’s words – “’ No one has ascended to heaven but He who came from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.’” – John 3:13.

Romans 8:19 –

“For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the [children] of God.”

This is NOT at all a teaching of a pre-tribulation “secret rapture”! And how one would see that in this verse is beyond me! This passage speaks about the fact that the whole creation – which includes the whole of the universe – “groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23) Not only that, but we [true begotten children of God] also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting [remember, we have the Spirit of “longsuffering”] for the [birth as children of God the Father and brothers and sisters to our Lord Jesus Christ!], the redemption of our body.” – Romans 8:19-23.

1 Corinthians 1:7-8 –

“so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8) who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Apostle Paul is NOT at all speaking of any “two-phase” return. Verse 7 is simply speaking about the glorious and powerful revelation (the revealing) of our Lord Jesus Christ. And, verse 8 speaks concerning the Day of the Lord – “the end” – see Matthew 24:14b.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 –

“Behold, I tell you a mystery [because the majority of the people of this world do not know this knowledge; concerning the resurrection unto eternal life]: We [again, true begotten children of God] shall not all sleep [meaning, we shall not all die], but we shall all be changed ──52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet [the SEVENTH TRUMPET]. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead [the dead in Christ] will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality [which certainly means that we do not now have immortality].”

Again, this passage is NOT teaching any such concept of a “two-phase” return.

Wow! 1 Corinthians chapter 15 ─ truly the whole of the chapter is AWESOME! Sadly, Mr. LaHaye didn’t even list verse 50 – “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood CANNOT inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.” Are you aware that the Mormons, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement created by Joseph Smith, believe and teach that you enter into the kingdom of God as a physical human being!? In a physical state. What do they do with verse 50!? Do they delete it from their bible, or do they mark it out?

Throughout God’s living word, death is portrayed as “sleep” – notice Daniel 12:2. And brethren, this is the glorious hope of all of us! The hope of eternal life! That is why you are reading this right now! Because we are hoping and praying that God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ (who is our ultimate Judge) will grant us the mercy of gifting us (Romans 6:23) eternal life! And, we want it for ourselves, but also, just as much, we want it for our loved ones. And all of you reading this know people who are now asleep. And you wait, and you wait, and you wait. But someday – if you believe that God Exists, and you know truthfully what God’s living word says, and that it is true and faithful – you know that someday you are going to see them again! On the Earth!

The Apostle Paul rounds this off with verse 54 – “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”

1 Corinthians 16:22 –

“If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!”

Again, this passage is NOT teaching any such concept of a “two-phase” return, or even of the false concept of a “secret rapture.”

This is just simply the ending of the Apostle Paul’s salutation to the church at Corinth. And, how does one know that they truly love the Lord Jesus Christ? Our Lord Jesus says – “’ If you love Me [as well as, ‘If you are loyal to Me’] keep My commandments.’” – John 14:15. “’ He who DOES NOT love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.’” – vs. 24.

“The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” – 1 Corinthians 16:23.

Sadly, some Protestant groups misinterpret, misapply, they misrepresent the term ‘God’s grace,’ and they make it into the incorrect concept of ‘once saved always saved.’ You know, “Give your heart to the Lard, and it’s all said and done!” And there were some church leaders in the past that completely detoured around the subject almost altogether. And yet, the term ‘God’s grace’ – my friends, we have no chance unless God is gracious to us!

Philippians 3:20-21 –

“For our citizenship is in heaven [the atmosphere], from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body [SPIRIT- COMPOSED BODY], according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” – Philippians 3:20-21.

Apparently what the majority of Protestants are ignorant of is the fact that God’s living word – written originally in Hebrew and Greek – there are THREE distinct “heavens.” The FIRST heaven is what we call the atmosphere which surrounds Earth. The SECOND heaven is the known universe – or starry space. And, there is a THIRD heaven. The Apostle Paul refers to it in 2 Corinthians 12:2. The third heaven is the present residence of God the Father, our Lord Jesus Christ, and all the holy angels. The third heaven is referenced as where Lucifer (now called Satan the Devil) attempted a coup of the very government of God – “For you [a reference to Lucifer, the archangel] have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend above the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’” – Isaiah 14:13-14. Even King Solomon knew of a third heaven – “ … For God is in heaven, and you on earth; …” – Ecclesiastes 5:2.

Again, this passage is NOT teaching any such concept of a “two-phase” return. Or even of a “secret rapture.”

Philippians 4:5 –

“Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.”

Where and why this Mr. LaHaye contrived this list is, again, beyond me. Our Lord Jesus Christ says the same thing – “’ The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in [and obey] the gospel.’” – Mark 1:15.

Gentleness is one of the fruits of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23. The phrase, ‘the Lord is at hand,’ truly means just what it says – THE LORD IS AT HAND!

Colossians 3:4 –

“When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

An idiom often attributed to Mark Twain says, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” No piece of science fiction can compare to this glorious, marvelous, and awesome TRUTH about our potential as revealed in your Bible!

The Apostle Paul – under divine inspiration – was speaking of our baptism unto death and our baptism unto a new man in Christ – “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2) Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” – reminiscent of what he spoke about to the church in Philippi – cf. Philippians 3:8-17.

He goes on to say – “For you died [in baptism], and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” And a crux of his thought here is: “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10) and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11) where there is neither Greek [Gentile] nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian [an ancient Eastern Iranian equestrian nomadic people], slave nor free, BUT CHRIST IS ALL AND IN ALL.” – Colossians 3:1-11.

And, 1 John 3:2 speaks of this “you also will appear with Him in glory.”

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be [what our profession will be in the kingdom of God], but we know that when He is revealed [when He returns], we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” – cf. Revelation 1:12-16.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 –

“and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ speaks of this ONE-TIME RETURN –

“’ THEN the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes [the nations, countries, and provinces] of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.’” – Matthew 24:30.

Now, if the Protestants would only read and study verse 29, they would see that His coming is AFTER the tribulation – not before. “’ Immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days …’”

Now, no one knows when the end of the age will actually come. And if anyone tells you they know – WARNING! They are attempting to manipulate you. Our Lord Jesus Christ emphatically says, “’ But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.’” And at that time when He said it, He didn’t even know. Now I have to surmise that at this point in time, God the Father has shared that with Jesus Christ. But again, we don’t know. Is the Kingdom of God three years away!? Probably not. Is it ten years away!? Possibly. That being said, there is a possibility that 2026 could be the beginning year of the Day of the LORD – but NOT the return of Jesus Christ. Recall what Jesus said happens during and even after the gospel of Christ – the gospel of the kingdom of God – is preached in all the world as a witness to all nations by these end-time prophets, culminating with the Two Witnesses spoke of in Revelation 11: “’ Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place’ (whoever reads, let him understand), 16) then let those who are in Judea [in Judea (modern-day Israel) not in the US, not in the UK, not even in Europe] flee to the mountains. 17) Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18) And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19) But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20) And pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on the Sabbath. 21) 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. 22) And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake [the physical people descended from Jacob/Israel] those days will be shortened.’” – Matthew 24:15-22.

“’ Immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light [possibly because the atmosphere will be thick with volcanic ash]; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ [meaning, Satan and his demons will be expunged from the atmosphere of the earth] 30) Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, …’”

There’s a term that has developed basically within the last century among some fundamentalist type churches of the Christian ilk talking about the rapture. And this is simply not a correct theological teaching. And many times when people use the words, they say, “the secret rapture.” Well, there won’t be any secrets when Jesus is returning! Because, as Jesus says in verse 27 – “’ For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man.’” - When the throne of God, when New Jerusalem, begins to return to this earth, at some point it will be a little small light in the night sky. And the next night it will be a little brighter – like the star Sirius. And then, it becomes more and more obvious – and people will look up and go, “What is that!?” Now, most of the people of the world will think it’s – and they really will – an invading alien force! There is nothing secret about it!

Keep in mind, the resurrection occurs on the SEVENTH TRUMP. The seven last plagues follow that. So, we will (God willing) already be in “low earth orbit” in the clouds, being with Jesus Christ, in preparation for the time He, Jesus Christ, directly engages humankind.

“’ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet [the seventh trump], and they will gather together His elect [here speaking of His saints] from the four winds, from one end of heaven [the atmosphere] to the other.’” – vs. 31.

1 Thessalonians 2:19 –

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?”

The Apostle Paul says it best in the following verse, as we think of you – “For you are our glory and joy.” We, brethren, find it all joy to hope and pray that you will be in the glorious presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming! For we, like the LORD God are not willing “that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:9b.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 –

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep [again, here the concept that sleep is death], lest you sorrow as others who have no hope [the hope of the resurrection of the glorious gift of eternal life]. 14) For if we believe that Jesus died …”

Believe it or not – there is a vast multitude of peoples that believe that our Lord Jesus Christ did not die! Notice the word “if.” If we believe that our Lord Jesus Christ lived, that He was real, that He was (and is) the Son of God, the Messiah, and that He died and “rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” Again, ‘IF WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED!’ The last sermon that Minister Michael C. Garrett gave to some of the ‘lost sheep’ down in Tyler, Texas was a sermon entitled, “Look to Jesus, Not Moses.” He was chastised by their leaders for the fact that he proclaimed that Jesus had died. They were offended and upset. So much so, that it aided in their decision to fire him! Of course, our Lord Jesus Christ died! This is a glorious Message of the Book – that He qualified to become our Savior, and that He died, and that He was resurrected unto life! His own living words speak of this – “’ I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. …’” – Revelation 1:18a.

The Apostle Jude also speaks of the fact that God (the Elohim, the family of God, which at this time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ) “will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” – cf. Jude 1:14-15.

Also, what many may not know is that God the Father is coming with our Lord Jesus Christ! – cf. Revelation 21:3, here in which the word God is translated in Greek as “ho Theos.” In most instances it indicates God in a general sense, but often the Father particularly.

Verse 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 [the atmosphere] with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God [the SEVENTH TRUMPET]. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

Notice, the ‘dead in Christ will rise’! Where are they rising from!? They are rising from the Earth! They are NOT in heaven – the third heaven. Our Lord Jesus Christ does not do a “fly by” – skipping off the atmosphere, picking up the dead in Christ, and shooting off to the third heaven. Besides, why would He need to do that if (what the Protestants claim) the dead in Christ are already in heaven? So, truly, here is some definite contradicting and conflicting on their part! Again, the living words of our Lord Jesus – John 3:13.

Verse 17 – “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them IN THE CLOUDS [again, low earth orbit] to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18) Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

Again, where will Jesus be AFTER He returns!? – Zechariah 14:4.

1 Thessalonians 5:9, 23 –

“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Verse 23 – “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul [your life], and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Again, this passage is NOT teaching any such concept of a “two-phase” return. Or even of a “secret rapture.”

2 Thessalonians 2:1 –

“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him [recall Matthew 24:31], we ask you.”

And the Apostle Paul goes on to ask us, brethren, “not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the Day of Christ [speaking of the Day of the LORD!] had come. 3) Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless …”

Our Lord Jesus asks us not to be deceived also – cf. Matthew 24:23-25.

1 Timothy 6:14 –

Like with most one-line verses, it’s IMPORTANT to read the whole text to properly understand the meaning! – Isaiah 28:10.

Verse 11 – “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

Verse 13 – “I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14) that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless UNTIL OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST’s APPEARING.”

The Apostle Paul is urging us here to “fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life, and to keep this commandment” until His Return.

It too doesn’t have anything to do with a rapture, a “secret rapture,” or even a “two-phase” return. Did Mr. LaHaye simply look up in a Bible concordance “Christ’s appearing” and just list those as “rapture”!? Because it appears as if he did.

2 Timothy 4:1, 8 –

“I charge you therefore before God [God the Father] and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead [those that are resurrected] at His appearing and His kingdom.”

Verse 8 – “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day [at His appearing], and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Sadly, if the majority of Protestants are only focusing on their understanding that these verses are only teaching our Lord Jesus Christ’s return – which is glorious enough – these verses mean so much more! We must take in the Spirit of light! Our Lord Jesus Christ says, “’ Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man’” – Luke 21:36. And we believe this and we stand upon this promise of the LORD our God! That is our hope! That even amid a world gone completely insane to where it will completely annihilate itself – we have hope that we will survive and that our families will be protected. And, I want you to understand – to not necessarily survive staying alive – but more akin to what the Apostle Paul writes here, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Titus 2:13 –

“looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God [again, ho Theos, God the Father] and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Over and over and over again, nothing happens until God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ and the holy angels ARRIVE! This is what God’s living word says! And this be the truth – then what is all this nonsense about the immortality of the soul and going off to the third heaven? None of that agrees with the living word of God! Here’s another glorious concept── the resurrected saints of the LORD God are not going off to the third heaven, but rather the third heaven is coming to the Earth! And this is part of the glorious gospel – the announcement of the soon-coming kingdom of God! Recall earlier I spoke of John 3:13. Our Lord Jesus says it just as plain as day! And Protestants most cherished Scripture. A most beautiful Scripture!

“’ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes [on] Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’” – John 3:16.

And, did you catch that word, perish? According to Strong’s Concordance –

ἀπόλλυμι - completely perish. Implies permanent (absolute) destruction. 3

So, if a person is completely destroyed and perishes – what is all this nonsense about a Hell?

Now, the additional Scriptures that Mr. LaHaye jotted down in his book Are We Living in the End Times? under “Rapture” are Hebrews 9:28; James 5:7-9; 1 Peter 1:7, 13; 5:4; Jude 1:21; Revelation 2:25; 3:10.

Brethren, if you’ve got the time to read and go over these Scriptures with me – I’ve got the time to write.

Hebrews 9:28 –

“So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”

The Apostle Paul, speaking to the Hebrew converts then, and to all of us now, is speaking of the glorious SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! And sadly, to this very day, the majority of our Jewish brethren are still awaiting the Messiah’s first coming!

The Apostle Paul explains – throughout the Book of Hebrews that we now have this great High Priest who sits on the right hand of God the Father in the upper heavenly realms. And that He is our Advocate, and our Intercessor – no human being.

Verse 24 - “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”

Brethren, there are times in our life when we sin, and maybe Satan and his minions are there just laughing and carrying on. And then our glorious High Priest and Advocate walks up and says to our Father after our heartfelt repentance, “Father, I have forgiven him/her. And, this person belongs to Me. End this.” I wonder how many times our Lord Jesus has had to come to our defense to say, “I shed My blood, that they might be forgiven, and that someday they might live for all eternity”!?

He goes on to say, in verse 25 – “not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another ── .” – a concept that the Jewish people he was writing to would readily understand.

Verse 26 – “He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, ONCE at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of HIMSELF.”

Clearly and plainly teaching his Jewish audience the fact that the Messiah had come!

Verse 28 again – “so Christ was offered ONCE to bear the sins of many. TO THOSE WHO EAGERLY WAIT FOR HIM …”

You recall our Lord Jesus in the Book of Luke, ‘LOOK UP AND BEHOLD YOUR SALVATION!’ ‘THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!’ We are to look for the returning KINGDOM OF GOD! And that’s what this Work, ostensively, is all about! WARNING people and INSTRUCTING people about that coming event! That if we look for Him, “He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” And that means your salvation, and my salvation, and the salvation of everyone who has lived and died in Christ!

James 5:7-9 –

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8) You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9) Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!”

We covered in 2 Timothy the phrase, ‘at His appearing.’ Not this immediately ‘off to Heaven.’ We notice in Titus 2 – “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:7 – “…praise, honor, and glory at the [appearing] of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 5:4 – “and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” 1 John 2:28 – “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”

Again, none speak of a pre-tribulation “secret rapture.”

So, why even bother speaking about this subject?

Because there are a great many false and heretical teachers that lead people astray on biblical prophecy. And, it’s not just the Protestant rapturists, it’s also those who believe and teach (and I was asked this very thing the other day) that Allah is the same God that we worship. It’s also those who go on and on about Catholic prophesies, trying desperately to link them somehow to God’s biblical prophecies.

So, God’s living word does not teach a pre-tribulation “secret rapture” of the Church, nor even a mid-tribulation. Let us notice what our Lord Jesus Christ says once again – that He will return AFTER the end-time trauma ‘the tribulation’ and not before –

“’ IMMEDIATELY after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; …’”

Because there will be darkened skies from erupting volcanoes, and even, possibly, nuclear bombs.

“ … ‘the stars 4 will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’”

Truly meaning that Satan the Devil and his minions will be thrown out of the atmosphere. And then notice this – Revelation chapter 6 – Verse 14 – “THEN the sky receded as a scroll when its rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.” The atmosphere will be thick with volcanic ash towers from a great number of volcanoes erupting around the globe, possibly caused by the massive ‘great earthquake.’ This damaging smoke and pollution must be cleared from the atmosphere before the arrival of our King of kings and LORD of lords!

Verse 30 – “’ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven [in outer space], 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.’”

Verse 31 – “’ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet [the SEVENTH TRUMPET], and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven [the atmosphere] to the other.’”

Yet, the most hardened pre and mid-tribulation rapturists will completely ignore or try to reason away these Scriptures – and this passage alone!

Another article we have on this most vital subject is “A ‘Secret Rapture’?” □

Bibliography

1) Wikipedia contributors. (2024, March 28). Left Behind. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 08:57, April 18, 2024.

2) LaHaye, T.F., Are We Living in the End Times?, Wheaton III: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999, pgs. 98, 100.

3) The Strongest Concordance of the Bible, 21st-century ed. 2001. ISBN 978-0-310-23343-5 (hardcover), #622, pg. 582.

4) ASTĒR, is used metaphorically. Example. (a) of Christ, as “the morning star.” - Vine, W.E., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, CAGE, Fleming H. Revell Company, Old Tappan, New Jersey, published by United Kingdom Marshall, Morgan & Scott, Publications, Ltd., 1981, pg. 72.