So far in this series on the rapture, we've introduced the subject, explained the basic differences between the Pre-Tribulational and Pre-Wrath views of the rapture of the church, and looked at Matthew 24, a key passage in regard to the timing of events leading up to Jesus' return for His church. In this installment, we'll investigate the differences between three key time periods immediately preceding the return of Jesus Christ at the end of the age. It is my contention that proponents of the Pre-Tribulational view of rapture commit the fallacy of equivocation in regard to these three periods, arguing that they are all different terms referring to the same period of time.
The distinction between these time periods is very important to the discussion of rapture. If these time periods are, in fact, the same, then several passages of scripture require a Pre-Tribulational rapture. If they are not the same, but rather are ways of breaking down a larger period of time into smaller periods within that larger period, then the Pre-Wrath view does a much better job of harmonizing the passages of scripture that point to the return of Christ.
The three terms, or periods of time, that we are going to look at here are as follows: The 70th Week of Daniel, the Tribulation, and the Day of the Lord. Because the proponents of the Pre-Tribulational view see all of these periods as being the same, and the terms as synonymous, the following description of each is the view held by the Pre-Wrath view.
The 70th Week of Daniel
Perhaps the most common term used to refer to the final few years at the End of the Age is “The 70th Week of Daniel.” This term is derived from Daniel 9:24-27
“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, land to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.†emphasis mine
When Daniel prophesies of “weeks,” he is referring to seven-year periods, or weeks of years, not weeks of days. This is not controversial, Bible scholars of all persuasions agree on the usage of the terms here.
Of the 70 weeks (of years) described above, 69 have already come to pass. From the end of the Babylonian captivity, which Daniel was writing from, until the time that Jerusalem and the Temple would be rebuilt would be seven weeks, or 49 years. Immediately following, there would be 62 weeks until Messiah would come, minister, and “be cut off.” In other words, this 62 weeks terminates with the crucifixion of Christ. That leaves us with a total of 69 weeks that commenced with the decree of Cyrus the Persian to rebuild Jerusalem (Ezra 1) and terminated with the death of Jesus Christ.
Pre-Trib and Pre-Wrath agrees that this period of time is seven years in duration. There has been no serious disagreement over that of which I am aware. One week is seven years.
The Tribulation
The Pre-Trib camp would say that the Tribulation is a period of time largely synonymous with the 70th Week of Daniel. If they were to break it down, it would be at the mid point. They would say that the entire period is filled with tribulation, but the second half is a time of especially harsh tribulation, and would thus refer to that second half as “The Great Tribulation.” This isn't to distinguish the focus of tribulation, but simply the intensity.
The Pre-Wrath camp begins to diverge here. To begin with, Daniel is the only prophet to speak of seven years. If you are careful in your reading of the New Testament passages dealing with the end of the age, you'll notice that they speak only of the latter half of the seven years, suggesting it may be possible to not even know when we are in the seven year period until it is half over. For example, if we look back to part two, and our investigation of Matthew 24, we notice that the big sign that Jesus gave us to look out for is the Abomination of Desolation. Jesus even points to Daniel, he says ““So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place…” (emphasis mine). Notice that Jesus did not tell us to look for a “strong covenant,” which Daniel mentions (and is believed by many to be coincident with the 70th Week). The sign Jesus points us to is three and a half years later. For this reason, you'll often hear Pre-Wrathers focus specifically on that 42 month period, and many will say little, if anything, about the first half of the week.
Pre-Tribbers and Pre-Wrathers firmly disagree about the nature of the tribulation during this period. Because Pre-Tribbers believe that Jesus will have already returned and gathered His church in a secret rapture before the 70th week even begins, they see this period as focussing on the unbelieving world. There will be some differentiation between unbelieving gentiles and unbelieving Jews, as this period is seen as the instrument that God uses to bring the Jews to a proper understanding of the knowledge of their Messiah, but Pre-Tribbers cannot have the Church as the focus of this tribulation because the Church has been removed from the Earth during this period according to their view.
The Day of the Lord
“The Day of the Lord” is one term of many referring to the time following the return of Jesus Christ to the Earth to judge the wicked. Another common term used is “the Wrath of God”, which is where the Pre-Wrath view gets its name.
According to the Pre-Wrath view, Jesus returns at some unknown point in time during the latter 42 months of Daniel's 70th week to gather His Church and to pour out God's wrath upon the wicked and unbelieving world. Of that specific point in time, Jesus says “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, [nor the Son,] but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36)
The distinction here can get interesting. The text of Scripture is clear enough that some Pre-Tribbers largely agree with the Pre-Wrath view in regards to the specific events that go on at this time, it is merely the terminology that they disagree with. There are passages that clearly refer to Saints that are martyred during the period known as the Tribulation, which presents a problem to their view. One such passage, by way of example, is Revelation 7:9-14.
[9] After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, [10] and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!†[11] And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, [12] saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.â€
[13] Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?†[14] I said to him, “Sir, you know.†And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Pre-Tribbers resolve this problem of a multitude of Tribulation Martyrs by developing theories about people being saved after the rapture of the Church, but before Christ returns to pour out God's wrath upon the wicked. Certainly there will be many who are saved during this time, Pre-Wrathers wouldn't disagree. We merely disagree that the Church will have been removed at this time. We'll be the ones proclaiming the Gospel so that people can be saved!
In separating the Tribulation from the Day of the Lord, we see that one follows the other, rather than being different terms for the same thing. The proper (Pre-Wrath) understanding is that the Day of the Lord follows the Tribulation, it isn't the same as the Tribulation.
Unnecessary Confusion
Much of the confusion over these three periods of time begins with one verse:
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
The events surrounding the 70th Week of Daniel can be very confusing to the careless reader. Even a careful reader can have difficulty connecting all of the dots in the right manner. There is a lot of wrath that is poured out in that period. Pre-Wrathers often describe the 70th Week as a period of Satan's wrath against the Church, followed by God's wrath against the wicked. It is unfortunate that this description is used in order to add to the confusion, as 1 Thessalonians 5:9 does say that we are not destined for wrath. However, that can only mean that we are not destined for God's wrath.
This is where scripture typically uses language that is clearer than the language we use in our commentary. Wrath is a term the Scripture uses for the anger of God poured out on the wicked. In regards to the anger of Satan poured out on believers, the term most often used in Scripture is Tribulation. Though you may occasionally hear a Pre-Wrather use terms like “wrath of Satan” and “wrath of God”, the distinction between the terms is much clearer when we use “wrath” referring to God's wrath, and “tribulation” referring to Satan's wrath. The entire view is derived from this distinction.
This is why it's so important to distinguish between the two. If they are one-and-the-same, then the Pre-Tribber is right, and the Church must be removed before the 70th Week, or God's promise that we are not destined for wrath is violated.
I don't mean to belabor the point, but I think it is important to show that, while we are promised to be kept from wrath, we are actually promised that we will go through tribulation. This is one thing I find especially frustrating about the Pre-Trib view; we are promised tribulation, but somehow are expected to escape “the Great Tribulation.”
Here are several verses that refer to θλιψις (thlipsis), translated ‘tribulation' or ‘affliction':
- I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation (thlipsis). But take heart; I have overcome the world – John 16:33
- Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation (thlipsis), or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? – Romans 8:35
- Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation (thlipsis), be constant in prayer. – Romans 12:12
- strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations (thlipsis) we must enter the kingdom of God. – Acts 14:22
- except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions (thlipsis) await me. – Acts 20:23
- Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings (thlipsis), knowing that suffering produces endurance, – Romans 5:3
- For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction (thlipsis) we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 2 Corinthians 1:8
- but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions (thlipsis), hardships, calamities – 2 Corinthians 6:4
- [1] Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, [2] and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, [3] that no one be moved by these afflictions (thlipsis). For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. [4] For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. [5] For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. – 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5
Of course we cannot forget those verses we read in Part 2 while going through Matthew 24:
- Then they will deliver you up to tribulation (thlipsis) and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. – v. 9
- For then there will be great tribulation (thlipsis), such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. v. 21
We would need a very compelling reason to divorce the tribulation/affliction (thlipsis) that we are promised in this world from the tribulations of Daniel's 70th week. There is no indication in the Scripture that this tribulation will be flipped so that it afflicts the wicked, at least not until Jesus returns and puts an end to the tribulation of the Saints. To the contrary, Jesus' own words in Matthew 24 and parallel passages makes it clear that the tribulation of the Saints will be worse during that time than during any other time in history.
Conclusion
The arguments of those who promote a Pre-Tribulational view of rapture hinge upon the equivocation of the terminology discussed here. While we have looked at the text, primarily Matthew 24, and will continue to see more passages in Scripture in future installments that pose great difficulty to the Pre-Tribulational, equivocationist view, those who promote that view rarely attempt to make the case that equivocation is appropriate. The assertion is made that they are equivalent, but the case is not made beyond that.
I ask the reader to continue with the series, and see that the Scriptures make it very difficult to maintain a Pre-Tribulationist point of view. Don't take my word for it, simply read the text for what it says. Consider each verse in its immediate context. Also consider that immediate context along with similar passages that deal with the same subject.
In the next installment, we'll investigate the issue of imminence. We'll see that the Scriptures do teach the imminent return of Christ, but Pre-Tribulationists confuse and/or misrepresent just what it means for Christ's return to be imminent.
