Well, here’s my take on it…
I find this to be one of the more puzzling doctrines out there, in that an honest look at Scripture can rather easily debunk it. If you firmly believe that the Bible shows a pre-tribulational rapture, then that is just one of the many examples of how men can invent a false doctrine, and twist the Bible around to deceive people into supporting it. Ironic that the Scripture most commonly used to support it is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, verses that mention absolutely nothing about a tribulation. The only indication it gives as to when this event will happen is, “at the sound of the archangel’s voice, and God’s trumpet.”(verse 16) Matthew 24:31 also refers to a trumpet blast, which is clearly shown to be AFTER the tribulation, when all of Matthew 24 is read in context. Now, one might say, that maybe that is referring to two different trumpet blasts. That argument doesn’t work, however, because 1 Corinthians 15:50-53 is also used to support a pre-tribulational rapture, and in verse 52, it says, “at the sound of the last trumpet.” So, how could the trumpet of Matthew 24:31 occur 7 years later, if the trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15:52 is the “last” trumpet. How do so many earnest “Bible believing” Christians miss something so blatant? Well, they may have been taught to associate the trumpet with Revelation 4:1. That is poor theology, however, because an honest look at Revelation 4:1 will suggest four things. First, Revelation 4:1 references the trumpet-like voice to the trumpet-like voice in Revelation 1:10, by saying that it, “had spoken to me before.” Reading from Revelation 1:10-18 strongly suggests that the voice was of Jesus, NOT some angel. So, first off, the voice in Revelation 4:1 neither falls under the category of, “the archangel’s voice,” nor “God’s trumpet.” Secondly, there is absolutely nothing about Revelation 4:1 that even remotely hints that “come up here” is referring to some future event that will happen to all “believers,” of, “the invisible church.” In context, John is merely describing what happened to him, enabling him to see the visions that he would write down, the visions themselves being of the future, not the “come up here” process by which the visions were revealed to him. Thirdly, there are more trumpets referred to in the Book of Revelation, so even if Revelation 4:1 spoke of a real trumpet, which it does not, it still would not be the “last” trumpet. Finally, the events of Revelation 4:1 have John going up, but no indication whatsoever of Jesus coming down. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 has Jesus coming down. Still not convinced? Look at Acts 3:21. “Jesus must remain in Heaven until the time of universal restoration which God spoke of long ago through His holy prophets.” Notice, it says “until the time of universal restoration.” It does not say, “Until seven years before the time of universal restoration,” as the pre-tribulational rapture requires. Parts of Daniel 11 mention events that occur during what would come to be known as the tribulation. Jesus references this in Matthew 24:15. Daniel 12:1 mentions the arrival of the archangel Michael. Then, Daniel 12:2 says “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.” Again, this shows a sequence that indicates that the events that are described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, and 1 Corinthians 15:50-53 take place AFTER the tribulation, not before it. Meanwhile, the “come up here,” event of Revelation 4:1 had already taken place, so that John could see much of what he would write about in Revelation. There is absolutely no mention whatsoever of a pre-tribulational rapture in the writings of the Church Fathers. Surely, the Nicene Creed would have mentioned it, if it were true. Yet, so many Christians so adamantly believe this totally faulty doctrine that was invented by a man named John Darby, back in the 1800s. Prior to that time, no Christians believed that heretical unbiblical doctrine. So, how is it possible that so many “Sola-Scriptura” Christians believe this doctrine that contradicts Scripture? THEY WERE TAUGHT IT!!! People don’t come up with this doctrine based on their own interpretation of Scripture. Its popularity in “Christian” movies, music, television, radio, and evangelical protestant churches is what fuels this belief, along with erroneous liner notes in some Bible translations. So, anyone who claims to be “Sola-Scriptura,” yet believes in a pre-tribulational rapture is completely deceived. They did NOT trust the Bible alone, but trusted a faulty teaching, placing a tradition of man ahead of the Word of God.
