Explore: Rapture Theories

Before diving into various theories surrounding when the rapture will take place, it is important to first define the term before trying to determine when this event may occur. 

Does the word “rapture” appear in the Bible? No, and many will use this argument to justify the event as fiction with little or no supporting justification. Rest assured, multiple scriptures in a variety of New Testament books clearly describe the event. So, what is meant by the term “rapture”?

The word “rapture” is nothing more than a term that has been accepted by Christians to describe an event that refers to Christians who will be taken away. “We will not all sleep (die), but we will all be changed-in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). “Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left” (Luke 17:26-35). “Two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left” (Luke 17:26-35). 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 even explains the purpose for why Christians disappear. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever.” Now that precedence has been established that a future event will occur where the chosen will not die, but be caught up or disappear, it will be necessary to turn our attention toward when this event may take place. 

Okay, so “When will the rapture take place?” This single question has baffled eschatologists for centuries. And this single question is the crux of the dilemma for why multiple theories exist. The four prominent theories are:

• Mid-tribulation
• Post-tribulation
• Partial Tribulation
• Pre-tribulation

Notice, as each theory is summarized, that all take place at some point during or surrounding the tribulation period. What is the tribulation period and why is it the lynchpin for when the rapture will take place? The tribulation is a seven-year period marked by unprecedented events including a new world-leader with great powers, Christian persecution and World War III to name a few. Human persecution, suffering and loss of life will exceed anything ever seen. Why is this traumatic period so critical to defining when the rapture will take place? 

Jesus states in Revelation 3:10, “Since you (Christians) have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of earth.” This scripture clearly states Christians will be removed before the “hour of trial”, but eschatologists are divided on how to define the phrase “hour of trial”. Why? Because the phrase does not specifically call out if the “hour of trial” is the seven-year tribulation period or some other time within or surrounding the seven-year period, thus leaving this topic open for some speculation. The good news is other scriptures will help us work through the confusion to find the proper theory. Let’s begin by reviewing each theory to get a better understanding of each. 

Mid-tribulation

The church will be removed midway through (or 3 ½ years) into the seven-year tribulation period.

This theory is based on the belief the “hour of trial” does not begin until 3 ½ years into the seven-year tribulation period, but is this the case? Though the second half of the seven-year tribulation will lead the world to the edge of a human extinction event (ref. Matthew 24:22, Isaiah 24:19-20), the first half of the tribulation cannot be ignored because this time will also be an extremely difficult period for Christians (ref. Matthew 24:9, Revelation 20:4). Revelation 3:10 says Jesus will “keep you from the hour of trial.” If the “hour of trial” begins at the midway point of the seven-year tribulation period one would expect Christians would be living in peace the first 3 ½ years. This does not seem to be the case based on Matthew 24:9. Christian (i.e. the elect) persecution seems to persist throughout the entire seven-year tribulation period.

Post-tribulation

This is the belief there will be a combined rapture and resurrection of saints following the tribulation period. 

The post-tribulation theory was a widely accepted doctrine by many churches in the past, but this belief is now less popular. This theory includes four sub-types of interpretations which will not be addressed in this post. The post-tribulation theory assumes the church has been and still is in a tribulation period. This belief is supported by a group of eschatologists known as historicists who believe the book of Revelation can be mostly explained by past historical events as opposed to future events. This theory also assumes we are currently living in the tribulation period.

Partial Tribulation

This is a belief that only those with strong faith will be raptured before the seven-year tribulation period while those with lesser faith will be raptured either during or after the seven-year tribulation period. This theory is based on a faith-based reward system. In other words, the greater your faith the better chance you will be raptured before the seven-year tribulation period begins while those (Christians) with less faith will have to wait to be raptured at some point during or after the seven-year tribulation period. 

The downside with this theory is scripture does not seem to confirm or support multiple raptures. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 states the rapture is a single event where Christians will “meet the Lord in the air”. This scripture describes a single event and does not include any verbiage with plural forms. 

This theory also ignores the entire topic of grace. God’s grace is overwhelming and never ending. The thought of Jesus returning for only a few of the elect does not register well with some and Revelation 3:10 clearly states that Christians that have “kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial.” It does not say Jesus is coming for some. We are all in different stages of our Christian journey. But even though we are at different stages we are ALL Christians. Grace covers our sins and therefore all Christians will be called to meet him in the clouds.

Pre-tribulation

The church will be removed just prior to the beginning of the seven-year tribulation period.

This is currently the most popular theory today, and does seem, though some may disagree, to match up better with scripture compared to other theories. A few of the arguments that support this theory are as follows:

- New Testament scripture, referring to the tribulation period, does not mention the church (Matthew 13:30, 39-42, 48-50; 24:15-31; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, 5:4-9; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11; Revelation 4-18).

- The Church is never mentioned in any passage dealing with the second coming after the tribulation period.

- Scriptures teach that all, not part, of the church will be raptured (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:17).

- God has promised to save the church from the “hour of trial” (Revelation 3:10}, which seems to be the entire seven-year tribulation period.

- Christians will be able to escape “all that is about to happen” (Luke 21:36). The seven-year tribulation period will be like no other time in history. Christian persecution will be far more severe than the Romans could have conceived (Revelation 20:4), WWIII will lead the world to a near human extinction event (Matthew 24:22) and the devastation from global thermonuclear war will leave the earth uninhabitable and nothing more than a rock wobbling through the universe (Isaiah 24:19-20). The entire seven-year tribulation period will be a horrible time, and scripture does not say Christians will escape some of what is about to happen, but “all that is about to happen.”

Yes, there are a variety of rapture theories, and this topic can be somewhat difficult to comprehend and confusing, but it is important to remember one thing. If you simply study the scripture one verse at a time you can find all the pieces to complete the puzzle. Each verse must agree with other related verses. Failure to ensure all the verses tie together will lead to false assumptions. The pre-tribulation theory is the only one that dovetails with the story outlined in the book of Revelation. Christians will be taken just prior to the beginning of the seven-year tribulation period.